No More Words
by sakura-clover
Summary: Inuyasha wakes up in Modern Tokyo and is forced to live with Kagome. Not only do they hate each other and the fact that Inuyasha is now Mr Popular in school, a war between youkai and humans is brewing.
1. Default Chapter

No More Words.  
  
Chapter 1- A Hanyou Reawakens.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Inuyasha woke up with a start. What had happened? Where was he? He took a few deep breaths and looked about him.  
  
He was in the forest, ah, he remembered now, that damn priestess had pinned him against the God tree with that arrow of hers. He struggled a bit but found it was almost impossible to move. Cursing silently to himself, he stopped struggling and tried to think of a way to get out of this mess.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome was walking slowly home; today had not been a good day. Her 'friends' were ignoring her again. It had all started when she was thirteen, three years ago. Kagome had caught a very bad case of the flu, she was off school for a month and a half, when she came back, everything was fine, her friends were glad to see her and it all went back to normal. Then she caught another illness and was off for about a month, when she went back though, everything had changed. Her friends would hardly say 'hello' to her and she knew that one of them absolutely hated her guts. Eventually, some people started to talk to her and she would hang about with them, but they would talk about things that Kagome didn't know about, like TV she didn't watch or boys she didn't really like. So Kagome would sit there at lunch times and in class, hanging out with a group that would hardly even notice she was there. It was OK, at least she wasn't alone and she had one friend who would always stick by her, so, life was Ok. Everything was Ok.  
  
But on three days out of five she would go home feeling a little depressed. Fridays always made her sad, she didn't know why, just every Friday she would make her so depressed, at weekends, she was the happiest person on earth, but Fridays were always the most depressing day.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
After about half an hour of struggling, Inuyasha finally gave up, he leaned his head against the hard trunk of the God tree and looked around. Strange, everything looked different. The trees were the same, the whole forest was the same, but something was different, the air smelled different and the birds sang different songs. Strange.  
  
He heard some footsteps coming, they were quite a way away but he could hear them all the same, and then came the scent.  
  
Inuyasha wrinkled his nose as that oh-so-familiar scent came wafting into the forest, he growled lowly as the smell got stronger. Tensing his muscles, he lowered his head as the footsteps got closer.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome was about to enter her house when she stopped. Slowly, she turned her head towards the wood behind the mini shrine. Her grandpa had warned her never to go in there, that it was a sacred place for demon spirits that could steal your soul. She had once tried to go in there when she was small, but her mother pulled her out and gave her a severe telling off.  
  
Well, no one was at home today, grandpa was at some old friend's house, Sota was addicted to the computer in his bedroom and Kagome's mom was shopping. So, why couldn't she go in there? Everyday she walked past the woods so she had a right to know what was in there.  
  
Carefully, she took a step forward, and then another, she quietly walked over to the 'forbidden' wood, her heat drumming fast as every step closer was a step that was breaking the rules. Kagome pushed back a branch and crept in. She smirked, just a plain old wood, no demon soul-sucking spirits here! Growing ever confident by the minute, she walked straight into the wood, peering around as the birds chirped. Kagome's destination was the old God tree. Even when she was little, she could see it high above the other trees, she had always wanted to see it up close, and this was her chance.  
  
Her paced quickened as the God tree drew nearer, she stopped as it stood right in front of her. Something was a miss with this tree, she stepped closer, looking hard at it, and then, Kagome began to circle the old tree. About half way around the tree, she stopped. A figure dressed in what looked like an ancient kimono was lying against the tree! Kagome rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times. She fingered an edge of the red kimono, it was soft, but was definitely not the sort of material people usually wore, it didn't even feel like someone that was made in modern times.  
  
The person remained motionless as Kagome climbed up to get a better look. It was a boy, about the same age as her, if not a little older, he had long silver hair with two bangs at the front, but what really freaked Kagome were his ears.  
  
'Are those dog ears?!' She thought silently, he face now level with the boy's.  
  
She gently raised her hands up and placed them lightly on the ears. They were silky and soft, just like a dog's; she stroked them a few times and silently laughed to herself.  
  
'This is crazy! I'm standing in the middle of a wood stroking some boy's DOG ears! Maybe I should see a doctor.'  
  
Kagome took her hands away from the ears and started to climb down. Suddenly, she felt sharp claws digging into her sides. She yelped and tried to struggle, but the claws only dug deeper. Kagome stared up and saw a pair of bright amber eyes filled with burning hate. She gasped as the face leaned closer to hers.  
  
"Hello Priestess Kikyo." He said, anger filling his voice..  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Yay I've thought of a story! - Does the Snoopy dance- Actually, Cherryblossom suggested a plot to me and I evidently took it (I have no imagination) and turned it into a story. Sooooooo, thank you Cherryblossom san! You helped me think of a story! ^.^ I know it's short but I have school in the morning and I've been a little caught up in Kingdom Hearts. (I sorta bought it on Saturday and it's so addictive! I like Haley Joel Osment A LOT. And Squall/Leon is soooooo cool!)  
  
Oh yeah and before I go, even though I'm British and we write 'mom' as 'mum', I'm gonna write it as mom cause it's easier and it doesn't sound as weird ok?  
  
Ja Ne  
  
Sakura Clover  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own no Inuyasha or any character from Inuyasha. But if I did, I think I would have to give Inu kun a good ol' bubble bath. For cleansing purposes of course! Heh heh. 


	2. Scroll 2

Chapter 2-Uninvited  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome walked into her house followed by a boy with long silver hair and a red haori, he looked around and scoffed.  
  
"Is this your home? It looks kinda stupid."  
  
Kagome tried hard not to punch his lights out, she had only known him for a few minutes and already she felt like killing him.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*Flashback^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Hello Priestess Kikyo."  
  
Kagome blinked and tried to wriggle her way out of the boy's tight grasp.  
  
"Why don't you blast me Kikyo?" He asked menacingly, Kagome stopped struggling and stared angrily at the boy.  
  
"My name is Kagome!" She yelled at him, but he just laughed.  
  
"You think that I don't know the smell of the girl who killed me!" He laughed maniacally then paused, he inched his face closer to Kagome's and sniffed.  
  
"You're......not her."  
  
"That's what I just said!"  
  
The boy snorted and looked away.  
  
"Of course, Kikyo was much prettier. And she looked a lot more intelligent."  
  
Kagome sweat dropped and sighed.  
  
"Will you let me go now please?" She asked.  
  
"Feh." Came the reply.  
  
"What are you doing on this tree anyway?" She asked, trying to make conversation seeing as she was stuck with this jerk.  
  
"Kikyo trapped me here, with an arrow."  
  
Kagome looked at him and sure enough, there was an arrow in his chest.  
  
"Oi." He said when he noticed Kagome staring. "Instead of staring at it, you could at least pull it out."  
  
Now it was Kagome's turn to laugh. "Yeah sure, ok." She said sarcastically. "Because I sooooo wanna get my insides ripped out by you!"  
  
He gave her a fake innocent smirk.  
  
"What makes you think I'd do that?"  
  
Kagome motioned her head to where his claws were digging into her; he looked down and quickly took his claws out.  
  
"There, now can you pull it out?" He tried to sound nice but Kagome could tell it was forced.  
  
"Hmmmm let me think, I go into a wood and find a boy with dog ears stuck to a tree with an arrow, he THREATENS me then INSULTS me, as well as ATTACKING me with his claws and yet he wants me to let him go? Hahaha! Yeah right!"  
  
She hopped down from the tree and turned to leave when she heard a rustling in the bushes, the boy smirked.  
  
"I think you better release me or else." He said calmly.  
  
Kagome turned to him, shaking her fists.  
  
"Or else what?!" She yelled at him.  
  
Right on time, a monster came crashing out of the bushes, Kagome screamed as she was pushed against the tree by the monster's large tail.  
  
"Or else that." Was the calm response.  
  
"Ughhh, what is that thing?!" Kagome screamed as the tail began to wrap her against the tree.  
  
"It's a scorpion demon." The boy casually stated, looking down at Kagome. "Pull it out and I'll kill it for you."  
  
Kagome had no choice and she wasn't planning on dying, as much as her life sucked right now, she wanted to live at least until graduation.  
  
Stretching her hand as far as it could go, she grabbed the arrow.  
  
The scorpion demon slithered its tongue along Kagome's leg.  
  
"You have it ssssssssssss, the Shhhhhhhhhikon no Tama ssssssssss."  
  
The boy stared at her, his amber eyes wide.  
  
"You have the Shikon no Tama?!" He yelled.  
  
"I,I don't know! What is it?"  
  
"Nothing, just pull the blasted arrow out so I can tear this youkai limb from limb!"  
  
Using all her might, Kagome wrenched the arrow out of his body. He burst from the tree, laughing like a mad man and went straight for the demon, slicing it in half.  
  
Kagome slid down the tree and landed on the hard ground, the arrow disappeared.  
  
"Feh, that demon was no match for my strength." He gloated and turned to face Kagome.  
  
"So you have the Shikon no Tama eh?"  
  
Kagome looked stunned as she gathered herself together and stood up.  
  
"Wha, what is it?" She asked again.  
  
The boy sighed and sat crossed legged on the ground, drawing in the dirt with his claws.  
  
"The Shikon no Tama is a powerful jewel that can turn half demons into full blooded demons, it can also do other stuff but I'm only after it for one thing."  
  
"You want to become a full demon." Kagome stated, her eyes looked far away, the boy growled, bringing her back to reality.  
  
"You're only a half demon, a hanyou."  
  
He lowered his eyes and snorted. He looked up again, anger filled his amber eyes.  
  
"Still strong enough to kill you wench." He said quietly.  
  
"Yeah well, it's been real but I have to go home." As she turned to go, his hand grabbed her arm.  
  
"Oh no you're not." He growled. "At least, not without me, you have the Shikon no Tama, I need it, so I'm staying with you until I can have it."  
  
"And when you have it?"  
  
He shrugged. "I'll kill you, simple."  
  
Kagome shrugged as well and began to walk home again.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^End Flashback*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"It's a perfectly good home, Inuyasha, and if you have to follow me around like a lost puppy, you're gonna have to stay here." Kagome smirked at her little pun. Puppy, dog demon, get it? Hahaha.  
  
Inuyasha didn't notice the little joke Kagome had made and 'feh'd' again, he walked over to the stairs and looked up.  
  
"What's up there?"  
  
"My room, Sota's room, mom's room and a bathroom."  
  
"Oh."  
  
He went up the stairs one by one until he came to the top.  
  
"Twelve!" He said happily and continued to walk into Kagome's room.  
  
As Kagome went up the stairs, she laughed quietly.  
  
"Thirteen." She whispered.  
  
"TWELVE!" Inuyasha shouted from Kagome's bedroom. Kagome stared at her door and shook her head; he DID have dog-ears, so maybe he can hear really well. Hmmm, maybe she should see.  
  
Quietly, Kagome walked up behind Inuyasha, an evil smile on her face.  
  
He turned around and looked at her.  
  
"What are you up to now wench?"  
  
Kagome whispered something so quietly that no human could possibly hear it. Inuyasha growled lowly and started yelling.  
  
"I MAY BE A HANYOU BUT I'M STILL BLOODY POWERFUL! FEH!"  
  
Kagome took a deep breath.  
  
"SO YOU DO HAVE SUPER SENSITIVE EARS! HAHAHAHA YOU SILLY HANYOU!"  
  
She could see that Inuyasha was having a hard time trying to keep his cool.  
  
"Sooner or later wench, I'll tear you apart." He growled.  
  
"Ah but if you do that, you'll never know where the Shikon no Tama is!"  
  
Inuyasha stopped growling and tilted his head.  
  
"But you don't even know what it is! How can you know where it is?"  
  
Kagome laughed and stepped towards Inuyasha.  
  
"It's elementary my dear Inu, you don't know if I know where it is, if you kill me and I know where it is, then you'll never find it. So until I decide to give it to you, you're gonna have to live with me!" She got closer, so that their noses were touching. "Feh." She said and went downstairs.  
  
Inuyasha stood there for a few minutes before finally getting what Kagome meant.  
  
"Wench." He muttered and left her room.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Ah I love Easter holidays! YAY no school for TWO weeks! Teehee, but I've finished Kingdom Hearts! It took me a week, so now I'm bored. I even got the secret ending! (Ok, I printed off a walkthrough but I still would've done it easily.)  
  
Until next time bwahahahahahahahaha  
  
Sakura Clover 


	3. Scroll 3

Chapter 3-Ramen  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
'So Inuyasha's living with me, not only is he a self-centred BAKA who doesn't know the first thing about manners, he actually charmed his way into the kitchen! First he started doing all this fake polite crap, and then he complimented Okaasan on her yakitori! So naturally she offered him seconds. MY SECONDS! I hate him so much!'  
  
"Hey sis, what cha doin'?"  
  
Kagome turned around to see Sota peeping through her door; he had a big grin on his face.  
  
"Ahhhhh, you're writing in your diary!" Sota licked his lips.  
  
Kagome quickly shut her diary and leant over it so Sota couldn't see.  
  
"You keep your dirty little hands off of my diary!" She yelled.  
  
Sota shrugged and casually walked out of the room, whistling.  
  
Kagome grunted and went back to writing.  
  
'So anyway, Okaasan is also making Inuyasha go to school with me! As if he knows the first thing about education! Everyone will think he's a freak! But gramps is working on a charm to cover up his demonic ness.is that a word? Well, it's late and I have to get up early to take Inuyasha shopping. -sigh- my life is the pits.'  
  
Kagome quietly closed up her diary and hid it in the secret draw she had built in her desk. Then, she crept into bed, yawned, and fell asleep.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Inuyasha woke up early, it took him a few minutes to figure out where he was, he rolled over onto his back and stretched.  
  
He was hungry.  
  
He was very hungry.  
  
Inuyasha slowly slid out bed (literally) and onto the floor, mornings were not his thing. He picked himself up and scratched his leg before stomping downstairs to peek inside that lovely fridge..  
  
He opened it up and smile widely at all the lovely treats that were stocked in this cold place, licking his lips hungrily, he piled up a 'few' snacks and shut the fridge door with his foot. He turned around only to be greeted by a bed head Kagome.  
  
"And what do you think you're doing Inuyasha?" She asked, her hands on her hips.  
  
"I was getting something to eat." He snorted and carried his little food mountain over to the table. Kagome stared as he started to arrange the packets in a pretty order of what he was going to eat first.  
  
"That doesn't look like something, it looks like a lot of things." Kagome said blankly.  
  
Inuyasha turned to her.  
  
"A demon must keep up his strength if he's to protect the Shikon No Tama." He stated.  
  
"Half demon." Kagome muttered.  
  
Inuyasha chose to ignore that remark and immediately stuffed some food, packet and all, into his mouth. Kagome found it very hard to suppress the laughter welling up inside of her.  
  
"What are you larffing at?" Inuyasha said, his mouth full of plastic packaging and what used to be food.  
  
Kagome wiped the tears from her eyes and waltzed over to the Hanyou, she pulled the only non-soggy end of the wrapper and yanked it out of his mouth, much to Inuyasha's annoyance.  
  
"I don't know how you ate before I found you but normal people would take the wrapping off first."  
  
Inuyasha blushed slightly at his ignorance but quickly shook it off.  
  
"Let me show you how it's done." Kagome said, lighting the stove.  
  
Inuyasha watched intently as Kagome poured some water into a pan, then she put some sort of food into it. After a few minutes, she put the contents of the steaming pan onto a plate, got some chopsticks and set it on the table.  
  
"And that's how we make food." She said using a sarcastic baby voice. Inuyasha glared at her then turned his attention to the plate.  
  
He sniffed at it and looked at it from all sides before turning to the beaming Kagome.  
  
"What is it?" He asked, his eyes wide with suspicion.  
  
"It's ramen." Kagome said, a little put off that he would question her cooking. But then again he WAS pinned to a tree.  
  
Inuyasha nodded as if he understood and, slowly taking the chopsticks, he picked up a piece and popped it into his mouth; he chewed, swallowed and took a bigger bit. Then a bigger bit and then a bigger bit. Making what sounded like 'mmmmmmm' noises as he greedily gobbled up the food.  
  
Kagome stood there with a sweat drop.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
After that delightful breakfast, Kagome took Inuyasha shopping. They walked around the mall with Inuyasha still in his haori. Kagome tried to avoid the stares they were getting but Inuyasha glared back, making everyone around them quite uncomfortable.  
  
They went into a shop that sold the usual school uniform, luckily there wasn't very many people in there but the poor souls who had to listen to Inuyasha were quite unlucky.  
  
"What is this?" He asked Kagome, holding it as far away from himself as he could.  
  
"It's called a school uniform, it's what you'll have to wear when you go to school." Came the weary reply.  
  
"It looks like a demon chewed it up and spat it out again." He said, his voice getting louder and louder.  
  
The store manager wasn't too happy at the comment Inuyasha had made about his clothing line and every now and then, gave the pair evil looks.  
  
When Inuyasha finally tried on the clothes and bought them, it was quite late. The two sat on the bus as it rocked from side to side, Kagome half asleep by the window and Inuyasha peering around at the other passengers. Two girls opposite him winked in his direction. He stared at them, and then turned to Kagome.  
  
"Kagome, those girls are having problems with their blinking, they keep on blinking at me with one eye!" He whispered, so they couldn't hear him.  
  
Kagome slowly opened her eyes half way.  
  
"So blink at them back." She muttered and closed her eyes again.  
  
Inuyasha thought about this and turned to the two giggling girls, he quickly closed one of his eyes and opened it. The girls blushed and giggled to each other before one of them walked up to him.  
  
"Hi there handsome." She said, moving ever and ever closer to the unsuspecting Hanyou.  
  
"Hello." Inuyasha said, kind of uneasy at the girl with the blinking problem talking to him.  
  
"What's your name?" She asked, inching her skirt up so it was shorter than before. Which was VERY short in the first place.  
  
"I, Inuyasha." He stumbled as he tried to look elsewhere.  
  
"What a sweet name, my name is Noriko."  
  
"Uh, that's a nice name." It's hard trying to be polite.  
  
"Oh really?" Noriko asked, lowering her face level with his.  
  
"Well, if you like my name, perhaps you should hear my number."  
  
Kagome woke up quicker than you could say 'feh'. She sprung up from her seat and grabbed Inuyasha's hand, forcing the two of them off the bus. As it pulled away, the two girls winked at him again.  
  
"That was scary." Inuyasha moaned, rubbing his temples with his fingers. "Too scary."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"This, Inuyasha, is a necklace." Grampa stated, holding it up to the light as if it were a precious Talisman.  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"I've been doing some research. Once a month you turn into a human right?"  
  
Inuyasha growled.  
  
"This necklace will turn you into a full time human from the moment you put it on until you take it off. A perfect disguise for demons on the prowl."  
  
Kagome laughed nervously as Inuyasha took the necklace and observed it.  
  
"So the minute I take it off, I'm demon again right?"  
  
"Right!"  
  
Inuyasha still didn't look all too convinced but he stuffed it in his haori sleeve and thanked Grampa.  
  
"I think it's time for some food." Grampa shouted, punching his fists in the air and heading for the kitchen.  
  
"And today's specialty by Okaasan, my mom." Sota announced as everyone queued up outside the kitchen. "Is...drum roll please. Oden!"  
  
Kagome nearly hit the roof. She dashed into the kitchen and sat down, squealing and laughing like a little child. Inuyasha calmly walked in last, his hands in his sleeves, staring at Kagome who had turned from normal girl into screaming maniac all in a matter of a few seconds.  
  
Kagome ate the oden, laughing to herself as everyone else talked about their day. Inuyasha sat opposite Kagome, watching her in her happy little oden heaven.  
  
'She's quite good looking when she's not in a mood..gah! What am I thinking?!' Inuyasha quietly choked on his food as he mentally kicked himself.  
  
Kagome looked up.  
  
"Something wrong Inuyasha?" She asked, her eyes fixed on his oden. "Nothing." Inuyasha said harshly, turning back to his food.  
  
Kagome sighed and carried on eating. "There's just no hope for you." She mumbled.  
  
"Feh." Inuyasha said as he dropped his oden.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Aaaaaah, I looooooove holidays! I still have a week and a half left of no school! I'm currently helping my mum in planting flowers and I bought a Bonsai tree! I've called it Ashitaka. It's so sweet! ^.^ And I have the Inuyasha movie! 'The love that transcends time' or something like that on DVD! It's Japanese with English subtitles! Yay! Thought the subtitles are a bit funny. 'I no Kidding'?! Oh well, but it's funny! ^.^  
  
See ya soon  
  
Sakura Clover 


	4. Scroll 4

Chapter 4- The First Day Of School ^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The whole of the household was violently woken up by Kagome's screams of 'I'm late I'm late!' Those used to the screams merely rolled over in bed and stuffed pillows on their heads but poor Inuyasha with his sensitive dog- ears was twitching like mad as Kagome burst into his room, throwing his uniform at him.  
  
"Hurry Inuyasha! Get it on otherwise we'll be late!" She dashed out of the room and came back moments later, lobbing a school bag straight at Inuyasha's head, the Hanyou was too busy trying to get into his uniform to notice the bag flying towards his head at 100MPH and when he did, it was too late. The bag landed with a BANG on Inuyasha's face. Kagome laughed nervously before looking at her watch and running out of the room.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha walked slowly to school, it turned out that Sota had wound up Kagome's watch half an hour forward, so she was actually early. For once.  
  
Inuyasha was still sore about being hit in the face with a VERY heavy bag. He growled as he walked along, a big red mark covered most of his face. The walk was mostly full of an uncomfortable silence but half way Kagome looked nervously towards Inuyasha.  
  
"I,Inuyasha?" She murmured. He ignored her.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry about hitting you with that bag, I was in a rush." Her voice rose a bit but he continued to look straight ahead.  
  
Suddenly, Kagome grabbed a lock of Inuyasha's silver hair, she yanked it hard, causing Inuyasha to yell and fall over. He looked up at Kagome.  
  
"What the HELL was THAT for WENCH?!" He screamed at her.  
  
"You need to put your necklace on Inuyasha." She replied, getting it out of her bag. Inuyasha stared at her.  
  
"You stole that from me!"  
  
"I knew you'd forget it, you left it in your haori so I took it out before we left." She knelt down and placed it over Inuyasha's head. Instantly, his dog-ears receded into his head and were replaced with human ones on the sides of his head. He hair got shorter and as it did, it turned from silver into brown. Kagome watched in awe as the transformation was finished. Inuyasha stood up and opened his eyes. They were still amber. Kagome blushed furiously.  
  
"You...you look...." She began.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Um....like a grown-up Sota?" Inuyasha slapped his hand over his forehead. Just when he thought he was going to get a compliment!  
  
"Uh, you look good though." She stuttered. He took his hand away from his head and smiled at her.  
  
"Really?" He asked. Kagome sighed and carried on walking.  
  
"Yes." She mumbled, Inuyasha came up behind her.  
  
"I didn't heeeeeeeeeear youuuuuuuuu." He taunted.  
  
"I said you looked good okay?!" She yelled. Some kids over the street looked at her and she blushed again and started to quicken her pace.  
  
Inuyasha put his hands behind his head and looked up and the sky.  
  
"I wonder...Do I look better as a Hanyou, or a human?"  
  
'He's so full of himself!' Kagome thought, but she kept it to herself, she stared at the ground and smiled.  
  
"A Hanyou." She whispered. Inuyasha looked at her. "Really?" He smirked. "That's good to know!"  
  
Kagome straightened up. 'I forgot he had sensitive ears! Even as a human? Oh well..'  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Ohayou Kagome chan." A girl with long black hair tied into a loose ponytail ran up to her.  
  
"Ohayou Sango chan." Kagome sighed. Sango instantly became worried about Kagome's lack of enthusiasm. "You okay Kagome chan?"  
  
Kagome motioned her head behind her. Sango leant over a bit. Inuyasha was pressing the buttons to the drinks machine, when nothing came out, he glared at it, then kicked it, then started yelling at it. Sango's got wide and leant back to her normal position.  
  
"And that is who?"  
  
Kagome sighed again. "Inuyasha. He's living with me."  
  
"He looks like a grown-up Sota kun."  
  
Inuyasha walked up behind Kagome and tapped her back.  
  
"There's a whole bunch of girls watching me! They keep on giggling, like the ones on the bas." He sounded like a little child.  
  
"It's called a bus, Inuyasha." She turned around to see some girls from her class giggling and blushing at Inuyasha. A wave of jealousy swept over Kagome, but she shook it off and directed Inuyasha to the classroom.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Today class, we have a new student, it's his first day here so I want you all to be polite to him."  
  
"Hai sensei."  
  
"Okay then, Inuyasha, please step forward."  
  
Inuyasha strode up to the front of the class, looking a bit nervous, he looked in Kagome's direction and she gave him a thumbs up, filled with new confidence he smirked and started talking.  
  
"My name is Inuyasha! I've only been here for a few days, er...my parents are on a business trip here and I'm staying with some close friends of the family. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you." With that, he walked back to his seat (followed by stares from ALL the girls.) and sat down. His seat was next to Kagome's and she stared at him in pride.  
  
"That was good Inuyasha! What improvisation!" Her eyes were all starry and glazed. Inuyasha leaned back in his seat. "I know, I know."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
The worst thing about school is when you have maths first. This is the case with Kagome's class and everyone knows Kagome can't do maths to save her life, whereas Inuyasha is quite the maths whiz. He watched her now and then as she chewed her pencil, made growling noises and rubbed furiously at her paper.  
  
When the teacher went out to deliver a note, Inuyasha leaned over.  
  
"Need any help?" He asked cautiously. Kagome looked like she was about to explode.  
  
"I'm fine." She spat and continued working. After two seconds she slammed her pencil down and grabbed Inuyasha's shirt.  
  
"I need help!" She begged.  
  
Five minutes later, Inuyasha was standing over Kagome's desk and pointing to the paper, she nodded and wrote down everything he told her, both oblivious to the jealous stares by most of the girls.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Lunch time is the BEST!" Kagome shouted, punching the air, Sango followed behind, looking at the floor and Inuyasha walked next to Kagome. They walked over to where the rest of Kagome's 'friends' were sitting, they greeted Sango and nodded lightly at Kagome before carrying on talking about boys. One of them stopped dead when Inuyasha sat down, she whispered to the others girls and they moved over to Inuyasha.  
  
"Hi!" They girls said cheerfully. Inuyasha eyes them warily and looked towards Kagome, she was staring at the ground in complete silence.  
  
"Hi." He answered. Politeness was the key to getting places a miko once told him.  
  
"You're new here ne?" A girl asked, she had short black hair which came down a little past her ears and dark blue eyes. Inuyasha slowly nodded.  
  
"I'm Yasuna." She nodded her head in a slight bow and pointed to another girl with long brown hair and green eyes. " That's Megumi, and there's Hikaru and Ayane and that one there is Ami." Inuyasha nodded at them in turn as each girl blushed lightly.  
  
After a while, Sango stood up. "Well, I have to go and give in a late paper to Kitano sens..." She froze in mid speech, her face twisted into a scowl and she turned around. A boy with short black hair and a small ponytail sweat-dropped and smiled nervously. He was then slapped hard by Sango.  
  
"I told you not to touch me there Miroku!" She screamed as the whole school went silent.  
  
"Sango dear, you misinterpret my intentions." Miroku began. " I was walking up to you when a boy pushed me forward and my hand ACCIDENTLY fell there." Sango wasn't buying it and slapped him again. Inuyasha watched the pair as the girls around him giggled and blushed. He turned his attention towards Kagome again, she was still staring at the ground in silence, Inuyasha got up and sat next to her.  
  
"Who is that lecherous boy?" He asked, trying to make conversation. Yasuna made a small growling sound and started talking to her friends.  
  
Kagome gave Inuyasha a weak smile. "That's Miroku. His father's some sort of priest. He's been doing that to Sango since we first met. They both like each other but refuse to admit it."  
  
Inuyasha nodded and they both sat there in silence until it was time to go back to lessons.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"I'm sooooo tired!" Kagome stretched and shook her arms a bit. Inuyasha walked along with his arms in as much sleeve as he could get, he looked a bit odd as the sleeves were very short but he was used to his haori and stuffing his arms in his sleeves.  
  
"So that's what school's like eh?"  
  
"Uh huh." Kagome yawned.  
  
"The girls there are a bit strange." Inusyasha commented.  
  
"That's because they all think you're sooooo cute and soooo cool. It'll probably get worse."  
  
"Oh." A long pause then. "Do you think I'm...'cute'?"  
  
Kagome stopped in her tracks and stared at Inuyasha for a while.  
  
"Um...I don't know...er...." This was a very odd question coming from a Hanyou threatening to kill her an who only knew what manners were when he wanted something.  
  
Inuyasha gave her a sort of sad look, then he laughed maniacally.  
  
"Never mind wench. I know I am." He walked in front of Kagome for a while before turning around.  
  
"What does cute mean?"  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, I only have the weekend left before I go back to school! Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo -sniff- It's not fair! Oh well, I had to go back sometime. Just not this sooooooon -bursts into tears again-  
  
Sakura Clover 


	5. Scroll 5

Chapter 5-Let's be happy! ^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Kagome was right when she said that the stares and giggles were going to get worse. Everyday a new girl would walk up to Inuyasha and start flirting, either they would play hard to get, or turn into jelly the minute he looked at the them. Kagome was NOT finding this as amusing as Inuyasha did.  
  
After a few weeks, Inuyasha began to get to know the 'in' crowd and he slowly stopped following Kagome at lunch, he wore the necklace all the time, as if he was ashamed of his demon side and became more and more stuck up.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Inuyasha would still walk home with Kagome though, so they trundled along in almost utter silence as Kagome stared at the sky and Inuyasha fiddled with his beads. The silence was finally broken by Inuyasha coughing.  
  
"So, how was your day Kagome chan." He asked, his eyes on his beads.  
  
"Oh, the usual, being ignored, having trouble with maths." She turned to Inuyasha who was still playing with his necklace.  
  
"I saved the world too, found out I was really a super heroine and I'm only using my powers for good."  
  
"Uh huh, that's nice." He replied, not really paying attention.  
  
Kagome frowned and walked a little faster. What's the point of asking about someone's day and not pay attention! The nerve of that jerk!  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Sir, we have some important news."  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"Well, there's been another youkai attack sir, two people dead, three injured."  
  
"Thats four attacks in two weeks! We can't carry on like this, we have to do something!"  
  
"But what sir? The youkai revolt is way too strong for us, our weapons have no effect on them!"  
  
"We'll have to take matters alot more seriously. Contact the army, tell them we have a code red."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Coming up next, Tenchi Universe."  
  
"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Tenchi Tenchi Tenchi!" Sota danced around the room, jumping and twirling like a mad man. Kagome was reading a book and Inuyasha (still in his human form.) was sitting with his arms crossed, watching the tv.  
  
Sota jumped onto Inuyasha's lap.  
  
"I like Sasaaaaaamiiiiiii, she's so preeeeeeetttttyyyyy." Sota's eyes became glazed over and he went into his own little world of blue haired girls.  
  
Inuyasha raised his eyebrow and stood up.  
  
" I'm doing some homework, see ya." He wandered off upstairs.  
  
He stopped short of Kagome's room and peered inside, her diary was left on her desk. He sauntered up to the desk and quickly opened her diary on the last entry.  
  
'Things are worse than I thought, Inuyasha's gone over to THEIR side! He's with the popular crowd now, he never takes off his necklace and he justs lays around in class laughing at jokes that aren't even funny! What a jerk! I can't beleive he could just do that! And today, when we were walking home, he asked how my day was and didn't even pay attention. Oh well I guess it doens't matter, a jerk like him doesn't deserve a friend like me! Plus, he's a LOT cuter as a hanyou! Nice looks, shame about the personality! I hate him I hate him I hate him!'  
  
Something in the 'I hate him.' sentence made Inuyasha feel sad. He WAS listening but she started rambling on about saving the world. He wanted Kagome to like him, maybe even more than a friend............  
  
Inuyasha gasped, he was doing it again! Having thoughts about Kagome being 'more than a friend', what a muppet! He'd been thinking about her alot recently. Did he like her? As in, love? Hell no! He only liked her because she looked like Kikyou. Right? But Kagome isn't like Kikyou. In fact, if he was stuck on a island and had to chose someone to be stuck with, he'd chose Kagome.........  
  
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM INUYASHA?!"  
  
Inuayasha snapped out of his meaningful thoughts at turned to the fuming Kagome.  
  
"GET THE HELL OUTTA MY ROOM NOW!" Boy, she was really pissed.  
  
Inuyasha darted for the door and swept past the angry Kagome and dived into the spare room and hid under the bed. Well, maybe he'd like to be stuck with Kagome on an island, if there was no one else of course.  
  
Kagome ran up to her desk where her diary was laying, wide open, at her last entry. How could she have been so careless? So many years hiding it from Sota, only to be found by her enemy, Inuyasha! It's just wasn't fair! But, it served him right. He chose to look through it, so now he knows how she really feels. But Kagome didn't want Inuyasha to think that she hated him.  
  
Even though she does.  
  
But he's sweet when he's at home. Sometimes.  
  
Hah, Kagome girl, you don't need Inuyasha! He used you until he found friends better than you!  
  
But when you're popular, you have to be mean, otherwise your friends will abandon you.  
  
What? Like your friends? You were yourself and they hated you. You were someone else and they hated you. Face it Kagome, everyone hates you.  
  
Kagome shook her head violently. Scary voices inside her head were scary. She jumped onto her bed, stuffed her face in her pillow and screamed.  
  
Inuyasha, now in his hanyou form, sat up when he heard Kagome's muffled scream. She was angry at him. VERY angry, and it was all his fault. He flopped back down and blinked a few times. Just because Kagome doesn't like you, doesn't mean you have to get all upset about it! He tried to tell himself this over and over, but for some reason, it didn't work. He stuffed his face in his pillow and sniffed.  
  
Modern life sucks!  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
I'm soooooooooooo sorry for not updating! My computer's been dead for ages and my mum's only just fixed it! So I update! Yay! I'll try and update faster. (Don't I always say that?) But bare with me! It's hard!  
  
You're just jealous cos the little voices are talking to me!  
  
Sakura Clover ^.^ 


	6. Scroll 6

Chapter 6-The War Begins ^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"The humans are preparing to attack sir,"  
  
"Good, it's just what we want, they'll attack and we'll declare war. That'll teach them to try and mess with us!"  
  
"Yes Sir."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Inuyasha was VERY careful around Kagome for the next few days. In other words, if he saw her, he would dive behind any object that would cover him. He still felt really bad for snooping around in Kagome's diary and the fact that she hated him still nagged at the back of his mind, no matter how much he tried to ignore it.  
  
School was getting a little slack. The teacher's minds were obviously preoccupied, none of them bothered to teach much and they all walked around with looks of fear on their faces. The students thought this lack of education to be nothing more than it being near a holiday, but they were only half way through the school year and there were no vacations for months.  
  
It appeared that Inuyasha also noticed this sudden change in attitude. He was constantly looking behind his back and walking around like there was some sort of stench under his nose. Nobody else had picked picked up on his weird behaviour except for Kagome.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Sir! The youkai's are retaliating! There's no way we can stop them without this becoming public! They've declared war Sir!"  
  
"Damn it! I should've seen this coming. Alright, inform the world leaders and contact the U.S. president and assist for back-up. Those youkai scum aren't gonna win this one!"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Inuyasha, what is wrong with you?" Kagome asked impatiently, unable to bear his sneaky behaviour any longer.  
  
"Hmmm?" Inuyasha turned around to face Kagome. "I don't have to faintest idea what you're on about Kagome chan."  
  
"You know perfectly what I mean!" She spat coldly at him. "You're constantly looking over your shoulder, remember that kid a few days ago? When he walked out in front of you? You nearly pulverised him! You've been acting edgy all week, so what is it?" Kagome stopped walking, put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot impatiently.  
  
Inuyasha's features became soft and he stepped closer to Kagome. She was the only one who noticed........  
  
Kagome's eyes widened as Inuyasha got closer to her. She stepped back a bit as he got within an inch of her face. "I-Inuyasha, what's wrong with you?" She asked softly. Was he going to kiss her? What if he did!  
  
But, it seemed Inuyasha snapped back into his normal self. He smirked and backed away, laughing.  
  
"Haven't you seen how edgy the teachers have been this week?" He asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Yeah," Said Kagome, furious half at herself for thinking Inuyasha would do something like kiss her and half at Inuyasha for not doing it. "But teachers are always drinking coffee, perhaps it's getting to them-"  
  
"It's not coffee!" Inuyasha snapped. Kagome fumed and clenched her fists. Inuyasha stared up and the sky, his eyes becoming unfocused. "A war's starting."  
  
Kagome looked stunned for a moment.  
  
"Between who?"  
  
Inuyasha's gaze became focused again and he looked at Kagome, his eyes were dark.  
  
"Humans and youkais. Full blooded demons." He added, noticing Kagome's look of confusion. "Humans and youkais have been on edgy terms since the Sengoku Jidai. Not many people know that youkais even exist, the army and maybe the world leaders. Attacks have been made on youkai and human forces in the past month. Now war has been declared."  
  
Kagome was utterly bewildered. Surely the youkais wouldn't attack innocent civilians? Especially if most people didn't even know they existed. The army would keep it quiet right?  
  
As if he could read her thoughts, Inuyasha's face became very serious and he lowered his head slightly, making his brown human hair cover his eyes.  
  
"The youkais are brutal. They are demons, they will kill anyone who is human, they same with the humans, they'll kill hanyou and youkai alike. They can't hide this war anymore. It's going to be bloody and long."  
  
A long silence came. Inuyasha stood there with his head still down and Kagome, mouth wide open, tried to take it all in.  
  
About five minutes past before they finally started back home in utter silence. There were too many thoughts in Kagome's and Inuyasha's head. Inuyasha was quite scared, youkais (and humans) would be coming from all around for the Shikom No Tama, how was he supposed to defend himself? And Kagome?  
  
Inuyasha lifted his head up and watched her out of the corner of his eye. Kagome......  
  
What happened if something happened to her? He would never forgive himself. And if they got the Shikon No Tama, complete chaos would surely start.  
  
Walking along, Kagome's house slowly coming into view, Inuyasha made a promise to himself on the spot.  
  
I'll protect Kagome,(and the Shikon No Tama) no matter what the cost........  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Hello ^.^ Again, I took a while, my computer crashed AGAIN! Someone's trying to stop me from writing! -Shakes fist at sky- Well, I'm might not update for a while. 1-Because I'm Lazy and 2-Due to popular demand, I'm gonna start on a sequel to 'Samurai Princess'. I have NO idea what the story's gonna be about but I get a lot of reviews asking for more. Anybody else feel the same? Cast your opinion into the opinion box located at the bottom left of the screen. Thank You !  
  
Sakura Clover.  
  
P.S. To Shadow: The reason I put Maths instead of math is because......... I'm british? Actually, I don't know, I just do! I like to be different ^.^ 


	7. Scroll 7

Chapter 7-Mom?! Sota?! Grampa?! ^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Kagome chan, why do you still hang around with us?"  
  
Kagome was taken aback by this random question. She blinked a few times. Yasuna was facing Kagome with a snarl on her face, the other girls were behind her, giggling quietly.  
  
"W-what do you mean Yasuna?" Kagome asked innocently. Her heart was going a hundred pumps a minute.  
  
"The only person who likes you is Sango and even she doesn't like you that much!" A cruel grin started to play on Yasuna's lips as she watched the bewildered Kagome trying to fight back tears.  
  
Kagome didn't know what to say. She had been expecting this confrontation for a while but she wasn't prepared for it.  
  
"W-well, why don't you like me?" She managed to say.  
  
Yasuna's evil grin turned into evil laughter and she stepped closer to the trembling Kagome.  
  
"Oh, there's lots of reasons. You're ugly and annoying and NO ONE LIKES YOU!" Yasuna started laughing again, followed by the other girls. Their laughter tore Kagome into pieces and she made a run for it. The laughter ringing in her ears as she rushed past Sango.  
  
"Kagome! What's wrong?" She cried as Kagome ran out of sight.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"So, like, I was thinking that I should like, wear the blue eyeshadow, but it wouldn't complement my Skechers. So i decided on pink eyeshadow and a rose tinted lipgloss. Do you like it Inu-baby?"  
  
Inuyasha was sitting on a bench, picking at some grass, his mind was fixed on-  
  
"INU YASHA!"  
  
"What?" He asked irritably.  
  
"Do you think I'm cute?" The girl asked in a baby voice.  
  
InuYasha sat up.  
  
The girl was pouting now and slid up to Inuyasha, attempting to sit on his lap.  
  
A blur of colours sped past Inuyasha and his little posse. The girl did a fake scream and clung to Inuyasha's arm. Inuyasha instantly recognised the blur.  
  
"Kagome!" He yelled, getting up and running after her.  
  
The girl sat there, in utter surprise and turned to the group.  
  
"He sooo wants me." She said.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome was vaguely aware that she was being followed but it didn't matter, the whole world was out to get her. She hated everyone and everything. She was never going back to school EVER.  
  
The words in her head kept repeating themselves over and over.  
  
'I hate everyone I hate everyone I hate everyone I hate everyone...'  
  
'What about Inuyasha?'  
  
She stopped dead in her tracks. Inuyasha.......  
  
Breathing hard, Kagome leant against a wall, reminiscing the other day when he had gone all funny on her. When he was an inch from her face........  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
Kagome jumped and fell over. She lay on the hard pavement, flat on her face, cursing herself for falling over when she wasn't even moving.  
  
Inuyasha stopped when he say Kagome laying flat on the ground, sobbing quietly. He had seen her fall over and he was suddenly over come with concern.  
  
He walked slowly to Kagome and knelt down beside her.  
  
"Kagome." He said softly. She didn't reply.  
  
Carefully, he put his hands under her and picked her up. She flinched a bit as she felt herself being lifted up. Her face was covered by her hair but Inuyasha could tell she's been crying, he could smell the sadness on her.  
  
Without a word, he took Kagome home. She hiccuped every now and then but apart from that, it was a silent journey.  
  
'What am I doing?' Inuyasha thought. 'I should be in school but instead, I'm being all gentlemanly and carrying Kagome home. Urgh, I'm becoming slushy! What am I gonna do next? Buy her some roses?!'  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
When they got home, Inuyasha slowly let Kagome down onto the ground. Without a word, she trudged up to the front door and went to put her key in the keyhole. The door suddenly opened with ease.  
  
Kagome looked at the door with an odd look. Inuyasha sniffed the air and growled.  
  
"There's been a youkai here." He said grimly.  
  
Kagome gasped and pushed the door all the way open and stepped in.  
  
The house was a mess: Vases were broken, the photos on the wall had been torn off and glass lay everywhere. The house looked like it had been hit by a bomb. A very big bomb.  
  
Kagome ran through the house, checking every room.  
  
"Mama?! Grampa?! Soooota?!" She yelled, becoming more and more frantic when there was no reply.  
  
After checking all the rooms, Kagome ran down the stairs, missing the last three. Inuyasha was at the bottom looking angry and worried at the same time.  
  
"C'mon Inuyasha," She panted. "They might be in the shrine...."  
  
As she went to leave, Inuyasha grabbed her wrist.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome said, irritated. "We have to check the shrine!"  
  
"They're not there Kagome." Inuyasha said quietly.  
  
Kagome faced Inuyasha, a look of disbelief on her face.  
  
"W-what are you talking about Inuyasha?" It was obvious from the tone of her voice that she didn't believe him.  
  
"I can only smell blood and carnage, your family aren't here Kagome." He looked her straight in the eyes.  
  
Kagome started to shake her head. "No. No. no, no, no, no, NO!" She struggled and tugged, desperate to get out of Inuyasha's grasp. He held on tight. She growled and attempted to bite Inuyasha, when that didn't work, she screamed, fell onto him and started crying uncontrollably.  
  
Inuyasha lifted his free hand up and hugged her tightly. The Higurashi's had been so kind to him since Kagome woke him up. He inhaled the smell of Kagome's hair and held her for a few minutes, wishing that the moment would go on forever.  
  
"Oh, so sorry, I didn't know there was an emotional couple in here." Came a voice from the front door.  
  
Inuyasha ripped himself from Kagome and turned around to face a man with white hair, a fluffly thing around his shoulders and red markings on his face.  
  
"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha spat.  
  
"Why hello my little hanyou brother." Sesshoumaru said in fake happiness.  
  
"Good to see you again."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Hahahahahahahah cliffhanger! Or is it? Hmmmmm. If it is a cliffhanger, it's not a very good one. What am I going on about? Too much cheese. Heeheee. Ok, somethings definitely wrong with me. Did I spell Sesshoumaru right? What a confusing name he has! We had CNX on as our guest channel, it was brilliant. They had Tenchi, Cowboy BeBop, Outlaw Star, Dragon GT and Z, Xmen Evolution  
  
(I like Rogue and Nightcrawler.) and Samurai Jack! But it only stays for a month, so now my mum's moping around the house because her precious Jack is gone, much to the annoyance of my dad.  
  
As for me, I miss Tenchiiiiiiiiiii, Washu was becoming my favourite. I also like Ryoko and Kiyone ^.^  
  
That's it for the weekly news. Join me again when I update the next exciting chapter of......NO MORE WORDS.  
  
Sakura Clover ^.^ 


	8. Scroll 8

Chapter 8- Sesshoumaru and a little girl? Bwahahahahaha!  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"What do YOU want?" Inuyasha spat at his older stepbrother. Sesshoumaru merely laughed and looked about himself, his ever-faithful servant, Jaken, hiding behind his master's legs.  
  
"My, my," Sesshoumaru said with a smirk. "What happened here?"  
  
Inuyasha growled deeply and motioned for Kagome to stay behind him.  
  
"You're not welcome here," He said with disdain. "Leave at once."  
  
His brother tossed his hair back and tensed his muscles.  
  
"Why are you being so hostile Inuyasha? Surely you wouldn't be so cruel to your own brother!"  
  
"You're no brother of mine!" Inuyasha yelled, his eyes flared and he showed his fangs.  
  
"Come now Inuyasha! I haven't come to fight! All those years of you being asleep on a tree have taken away my need of your blood."  
  
Inuyasha still remained with his fangs showing.  
  
"Actually, I have something for you." Sesshoumaru went to stepped closer but Inuyasha growled even louder and showed Sesshoumaru his claws.  
  
"Come any closer," He warned. "And I'll tear you apart!"  
  
Sesshoumaru put his hands up. "I told you, I don't want to fight."  
  
Reluctantly, Inuyasha straightened up, eyed Sesshoumaru with uncertainty.  
  
"What do you want?" He asked, hate spilling off his every word.  
  
Sesshoumaru got closer. When he was an inch from Inuyasha's face, his hand suddenly found itself around Inuyasha's throat and before Inuyasha had time to fight back, Sesshoumaru pulled something out of Inuyasha's eye.  
  
"SESSHOUMARU! YOU BASTARD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Inuyasha yelled.  
  
Sesshoumaru let go of his hanyou brother, a small ball in between his index finger and middle finger.  
  
"I knew you wouldn't let me just rip it out of you if I asked permission." Sesshoumaru said calmly, as if ripping people's eyes out was something he did everyday.  
  
Inuyasha started to get up when suddenly, a black hole started to open up where his brother was. He watched as Sesshoumaru stepped into the hole, motioning for Inuyasha to do the same. He followed, all defences up.  
  
The moment Inuyasha stepped in, he found that he was floating towards an enormous skull that looked almost dog-like. Thousands of exotic birds flew around it and trees grew here and there. It looked like a tropical island with a massive skull bulging out in the middle. Inuyasha floated to the entrance of the skull, which was its mouth, his brother was waiting for him.  
  
"This is our father Inuyasha." He said, noticing Inuyasha's look of confusion and awe.  
  
Sesshoumaru walked inside, Inuyasha following close behind. Inside it was hollow, like a big round room, bones littered the floor and it stunk of dust and death. Exactly in the centre was a big round stone and set in the stone was a rusty old sword. Sesshoumaru stepped up to it and looked at it.  
  
"This is father's famous sword, the Tetsusaiga." He said, Inuyasha watching his every move.  
  
"Yeah? So?" Inuyasha said, looking around. Seshhoumaru sighed and looked at his brother like he was an incompetent fool.  
  
"It's a VERY powerful sword!" He said, waving his hands about, trying to emphasize the power. Inuyasha scoffed.  
  
A vein popped up on Seshoumaru's forehead and he rubbed his temples. He strode up to Inuyasha.  
  
"It's yours." He said and walked away, leaving Inuyasha alone.  
  
Slowly, Inuyasha walked up to the rusty old sword and tapped it lightly. Nothing happened. He gripped the handle and pulled it out. Smirking, he walked to the entrance and floated back to the hole.  
  
As he got out, he heard a familiar scream, tripping over his robes, he saw that Sesshoumaru had Kagome pinned up against a wall and was sniffing her.  
  
"You have the Shikon no Tama." He said quietly, he hadn't noticed Inuyasha sprawled on the floor. Inuyasha took the advantage and leapt at Sesshoumaru just as he turned around. Sesshoumaru let out a yell and stumbled, his hand covering his left cheek. Inuyasha had cut his brother's face and it was bleeding quite a lot.  
  
Sesshoumaru let out a deep growl and flexed his muscles. Just as he was about to pounce, a shrill little voice rang out.  
  
"Sesshoumaru sama! Oh, you're hurt! Sesshoumaru sama! Are you alright?! Let me have a look.." A little girl wearing a kimono came running up to Sesshoumaru, she was a great deal smaller than he was and as he refused to bend down, the little girl was jumping up and down, trying to get a better look at the wound.  
  
Inuyasha stared for a while before bursting into a fit of laughter. Sesshoumaru glared as he watched his half-brother roll about on the floor.  
  
After about five minutes, Inuyasha finally gained control and, wiping his eyes, stood up and looked at Sesshoumaru, the at the little girl.  
  
"What was so funny little brother?" Sesshoumaru asked, he was still glaring and the girl behind him, clutching at his robes.  
  
Inuyasha started laughing again, much to the annoyance of Sesshoumaru, he grabbed the hanyou by the robes and slammed him against the wall, much in the way he had done to Kagome, but a lot harder.  
  
Through the laughter, Sesshoumaru could just make out a sentence.  
  
"You-and-a-little-human-girl! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"  
  
There was nothing that Sesshoumaru could do for the obviously insane hanyou, so, with a wave of his white hair, he walked to the door.  
  
"Come Rin." He said and the girl followed him out the door and into the sunset...  
  
Kagome carefully walked up to Inuyasha and put her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Inuyasha? Are you okay?" She asked timidly.  
  
Inuyasha stopped laughing and looked at Kagome, his face becoming serious.  
  
"Are YOU okay?" His voice was full of worry. "You're not hurt are you?"  
  
Kagome smiled and shook her head. She held out her hand at helped Inuyasha off the floor.  
  
"We'd better get some sleep." He said after dusting himself off.  
  
So Kagome and Inuyasha retired for the night. As Kagome lay awake, she could still hear Inuyasha trying to stifle his laughs.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, gone soft!" She heard him say before he started laughing again.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Feel. Ill. Won't. Spell. Check. Won't. Say. Anything. Ill. Bye. 


	9. Scroll 9

Chapter 9-Sweet lil' kitsune.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It only took Kagome a few seconds to register where she was and what had happened. Thoughts of the previous day came flooding back to her. Yasuna, her family and Inuyasha's brother, Sesshoumaru. Groaning, Kagome pulled the covers over her head. Why was this happening? What had she done? After a few more minutes of trying to sleep, she eventually gave up and went downstairs where she was greeted by the smell of breakfast.  
  
Inuyasha was up bright and early frying up some bacon and eggs. He had stayed up half the night making sure Sesshoumaru or other youkais didn't come. He smiled as Kagome drifted into the kitchen on autopilot.  
  
"Ohayou Kagome chan!" He said brightly, tipping some bacon onto a plate and placing it on the table. "You're just in time for breakfast! I've made bacon and eggs and some good ol' fashion tea!"  
  
Kagome gave the hearty breakfast a quick glance, then turned away and stared into space.  
  
"I'm not hungry thanks." She said. Inuyasha frowned; he strode up to Kagome, put his hands on her shoulders and directed her to the table.  
  
"You need your strength." He said a-matter-of-factly. "We're gonna have to leave soon, the youkai might be back and there could be others coming."  
  
Kagome ate without much enthusiasm. She was really grateful for Inuyasha going to all this trouble but how could she eat when there was so much going on inside her head? She replayed it all in her head.  
  
("Mama? Grandpa? Sooota?!")  
  
Inuyasha watched her eat ever scrap of food with a frown on his face. He was worried about Kagome, she wasn't experienced in war or death or anything like that. She was too young to be handling all these new depressing emotions and he was worried about how much it would affect her now as well as in the long run.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
He sniffed the air. Bacon! Eggs! And some good old fashion tea! Hurriedly, he crept up to the window of the house but he was too small to see over the top. Cursing, he tried to balance himself on the bush under the window; luckily, he lightness was an advantage at times. His tail wagged in excitement as he peered over the ledge. There were two people sitting around a table in what looked like a kitchen. Rubble was everywhere and cupboards were slanted with their doors hanging open or half off.  
  
'There must have been some sort of fight.' He thought to himself, licking his lips and his big, doe eyes fell upon the food. Bacon, his favourite. Just as he was about to climb through the window, he stopped. A hanyou! So there's a girl and a hanyou, if it was two people, he'd get in and out in a flash but demons had good senses of smell, even half demons. Sighing, he sat under the window in thought. There was no way he'd be able to get in undetected but he was SO hungry! His tummy rumbled in anticipation, expecting the meal that the little kitsune had smelt. After his tummy rumbled for the third time, he made up his mind. He would go in, whether he got caught or not, he was just too hungry to let this meal go without a fight. Standing up, his will doubled, he climb up onto the window.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
'More demons will be coming for the Shikon no Tama.' Inuyasha thought, 'they'll be way more powerful than Sesshoumaru and they'll be more determined than him as well. What am I gonna do? Run? But how long before they catch up? And Kagome's in a state of depression, I don't think she realizes the seriousness of the situation..'  
  
"Hey!" Inuyasha yelled, coming out of his deep thought and realizing that someone had just swiped his breakfast from under his nose.  
  
Kagome looked up from where she was prodding at her egg. "What's wrong?" She asked, not really caring.  
  
"Someone's just stolen my food!" He whined, looking about him.  
  
Kagome shrugged and was just about to carry on with her prodding when a sudden wind swept her hair and in a second, her breakfast was gone.  
  
Inuyasha raised his eyebrow and started sniffing the air, suddenly; he stood up and ran to the window. Kagome watched in wonder as Inuyasha stuck his hand out the window and appeared to have grabbed something. Dragging his hand back in, Kagome noticed a little child, squirming and whining as Inuyasha took him into the kitchen and put him on the table, his hand holding the child's trousers.  
  
"So we have a thief eh?" Inuyasha said, triumph in his voice. The child continued to squirm and wiggle but to no avail, Inuyasha's grip was strong.  
  
"There's no point trying to escape, my strength easily out matches yours." Inuyasha was smirking, obviously pleased in his catch.  
  
The child finally gave up struggling and sat there, its eyes were watery and it was sniffing. Kagome suddenly noticed the tail it had. Growing bored of the silence, Inuyasha started to poke the child.  
  
"Speak Kitsune!" He demanded. Kagome gave Inuyasha a look of confusion.  
  
"Kitsune?"  
  
"Yeah, this little thief is a kitsune demon." He said, turning his face to meet Kagome but continuing to poke the kitsune.  
  
The little child stopped whimpering and, seeing its chance, bit Inuyasha's finger.  
  
"OOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUCCCCCCCHHHHH!!!!!!" Inuyasha screamed, accidentally letting go of the demon.  
  
The kitsune made a run for it. Inuyasha stopped howling and started chasing it around the kitchen, knocking over everything that was still standing. The chase ended when the kitsune hid behind Kagome and started whimpering again. Inuyasha looked at the fox demon, then at Kagome, his expression was angry and she could almost see the steam coming out of Inuyasha's doggy ears.  
  
"Give-me-the-fox-" He said, trying to contain his anger. The demon peered round Kagome's back and stuck its tongue out at the fuming hanyou. This was more than Inuyasha could take and he leapt at the little fox demon, but the fox was small and fast and easily avoided Inuyasha's leap of fury.  
  
Unlike the fox, Kagome didn't even know it was happening until she was on the floor, Inuyasha on top of her, swearing and waving his arms. The child was on the table, laughing.  
  
Inuyasha scrambled off of Kagome, blushing furiously. Then he turned his icy stare to the table. Kagome stood up and stopped him from leaping at the table. After calming Inuyasha down, she turned to the kitsune.  
  
"What's your name?" She asked. The fox demon eyed her suspiciously before answering.  
  
"Shippou." He said.  
  
"And why are you here?"  
  
Shippou looked down, his hands behind his back, playing the innocent little child.  
  
"I was hungry." He mumbled, his eyes becoming blurry again. "But HE tried to kill me!" He pointed an accusing finger at Inuyasha.  
  
"Me?" Inuyasha asked innocently, his eyes becoming wide. "I was merely trying to protect Kagome from evil Kitsune thieves!"  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes and sat down on a chair, which, surprisingly, hadn't been knocked over.  
  
"Where's your parents Shippou?"  
  
At this, Shippou's eyes became watery and he burst out crying. To poor Inuyasha's ears, this was too much and he clamped his hands over them, a look of shear annoyance on his face.  
  
"Can't you shut that thing up?!" He yelled to Kagome over the howling. Kagome nervously picked up Shippou and began to gently rock him. After a while, Shippou's crying died down to a few sobs and then a whimper.  
  
"They -sniff- they were killed by and evil -sniff- youkai!" He said, the tears threatening to come back. Inuyasha still had his hands over his ears.  
  
"Aw, there there, it's alright now." Kagome said, cuddling Shippou. "You're safe now, we'll take care of you."  
  
At this, Inuyasha unclamped his hands from his ears and stared at Kagome like she was some kind of traitor.  
  
"We'll WHAT?" He yelled, the veins on his neck popping out. "There is no 'WE' in this! He is NOT staying!"  
  
Unabashed, Kagome walked to the wonky cupboard, Shippou still in her arms, and looked at the assortment of wonky food.  
  
"You must starving, what would you like to eat?"  
  
"YOU ARE NOT KEEPING HIM!" Inuyasha screamed.  
  
"Well.. That funny yellow thing looks nice."  
  
"KAGOME!!!"  
  
But Kagome made some food for Shippou, ignoring all of Inuyasha's protests. Tired and annoyed, Inuyasha slumped down against a wall; crossed his arms and stared at the floor.  
  
Shippou ate with delight, savouring every mouthful, while Kagome watched, smiling pleasantly.  
  
By the time Shippou had related his whole childhood in great detail, it was getting dark. The sleepy little Kitsune gave a cute little yawn before nestling down on Kagome's lap. She smiled and took Shippou up into her bedroom where she laid him on her bed and pulled the covers over.  
  
When she went downstairs, Inuyasha was still slumped against the wall; he hadn't moved an inch and half his face was covered in shadow, giving him a sinister look.  
  
"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked nervously. He didn't move.  
  
Kagome shook her head. "Inuyasha stop being a baby! Shippou has no-where to go! How would you feel if you're parents were killed? Leaving you all alone?"  
  
Inuyasha flinched a little, but still sat there in silence, his eyes on the floor.  
  
Sighing, Kagome knelt down beside him. He turned his head in the other direction.  
  
"Inuyasha!" She said. "Stop being silly! You're behaving like a five-year- old!"  
  
"Really?" Inuyasha said so quietly that Kagome had to strain to hear. "Well, you seem to have a thing for five-year-olds."  
  
"Oh God Inuyasha! I'm not having this conversation!"  
  
"But obviously you won't listen to me because I'm not a cute lil' kitsune."  
  
Kagome bowed her head and took a few deep breaths. Then, she sat next to Inuyasha so she was almost on top of him and crossed her arms.  
  
"Fine, if you wanna behave like a baby, I am too. I'm not moving until you grow up! And if you move, I'll follow you." She stuck her legs out and started pouting. Inuyasha stayed in his position.  
  
Minutes turned into hours and by one o'clock in the morning, Inuyasha was still awake and still in the same position but he was flushing like mad. Around 12 o'clock, Kagome had fallen asleep, that was ok, but by half 12, she had made herself comfortable by leaning on Inuyasha's arm and snuggling into him. So he sat there, staring at the floor, his arms crossed, blushing like an overgrown tomato.  
  
And so that is how Inuyasha first partially discovered that he might be in love.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Ahahahahahaha! I did it! It's taken me soooo long just to write this damn chapter! I was starting it last Saturday, but my brother and sister were having a party so I had to help set it all up (mum and dad went to Scotland for four days!). Then I managed to do some more, but the phone rang for me so I had to takeyz--,-./úõðëæáÜ×ÒÍÈÃ¾¹´¯ª¥ -'?='}xsnid_Z ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c! |  
  
[\]^fgqrst??-'?='}xsnid_Z ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c ]a c 


	10. Scroll 10

Chapter 10-The Demon exterminator, the old woman and.. the perverted monk.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Again, when Kagome woke up, she remembered everything that had happened. Moaning, she opened up her arms and went to stretch.  
  
And her arm hit something.  
  
Looking to her left, she saw her fist in contact with Inuyasha's face.  
  
"Ah, gomen!" She said, taking her fist away. 'I must of hit him hard,' she thought, 'he's all red!'  
  
"N..no problem Kagome." He stuttered, getting up.  
  
"I see you stayed up all night in the same spot." Kagome said, getting up and following Inuyasha.  
  
"Yeah." He muttered.  
  
Kagome yawned and looked at Inuyasha's back. "You alright Inu? You seem kinda odd."  
  
"I'm fine." He said, a little too coldly.  
  
"Ohayou Minnasan!" Shippou came bounding down the stairs and into Kagome's arms.  
  
"Ohayou Shippou, did you have a nice sleep?"  
  
Shippou gave her a childish grin. "Uh huh, Arigatou gozaimasu..uh, I don't know your name!"  
  
Kagome laughed and gently pinched Shippou's cheek. "My name's Kagome."  
  
"Kagome." He repeated. "Thank you Kagome!"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"I can't believe you're supposed to be her best friend and you've hardly been to her house."  
  
"Well, I've never needed to go, but look, I know where it is Ok? So don't question me."  
  
"Fine, fine, whatever. So..you have a boyfriend?"  
  
"Miroku!"  
  
"Sorry! Sorry!"  
  
"We're here anyway, just, don't be a jerk!"  
  
Sango and Miroku walked up to Kagome's front door, it had three big claw marks in it.  
  
'Please let her be ok.' Sango thought as she knocked. A few moments later, the door opened to reveal Inuyasha in his red haori, frowning.  
  
Miroku gulped.  
  
"Hi Inuyasha! Is Kagome there?" Sango asked cheerfully. Miroku gulped.  
  
Without a word, Inuyasha walked into the kitchen, closely followed by Sango and Miroku. Kagome leapt up when she saw them.  
  
"Sango!" She cried, running up to her friend.  
  
"Are you alright Kagome? When you ran home the other day.."  
  
"Oh, don't worry about that! Why are you here?"  
  
"I'll take it from here." Miroku said, stepping forward.  
  
"Ahem, well, from the day me and Sango were born, we have been trained to err..Sango?"  
  
Rolling her eyes, Sango gently shoved aside Miroku.  
  
"Basically, my whole family, right back to the Sengoku Jidai, have been demon exterminators, and I've been trained to protect myself and others. Miroku here, is a monk with a twist, he has a curse that was passed down lech from lech."  
  
"Sango!" Miroku protested.  
  
"Anyway, you know he's always wearing that funny glove thing and those prayer beads? It's because his hand has some sort of wind-sucking thingy that sucks you into his hand and you become nothing!"  
  
"It's called a kazaana." Miroku mumbled.  
  
"And seeing as you have the Shikon No Tama, we're here to protect you!"  
  
Kagome sat down, the cogs of her mind doing one hundred a second.  
  
"How, do you know I have the Shikon no Tama?" She asked, looking up and Sango.  
  
"Well, there's the outward resemblance, the fact that demons have been here first. The fact that you woke up Inuyasha, the fact that he hasn't killed you..."  
  
"Resemblance to who?"  
  
"Oh, Inuyasha didn't tell you? You appear to be the reincarnation of the Priestess Kikyou, who was the original guardian of the Shikon no Tama."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Inuyasha, who was leaning on the table, gave a snort.  
  
"And you're here to protect her eh?"  
  
"Yes." Said Miroku.  
  
"And you guys knew about Inuyasha?" Kagome butted in.  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"Oh Please!" Inuyasha moaned. "You think you guys can to a better job than me? I'm half demon! You two are just some meek little mortals! I can take care of Kagome on my OWN." He turned away from everyone and crossed his arms.  
  
"I'm hungry." Shippou whispered.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
An hour and a lot of pancakes later, everyone was settled in the living room on the shredded sofa, talking about the weather and the youkai war. Inuyasha stood in the corner, pouting.  
  
"It's hell out there." Miroku said, still munching on some pancake. "Most people didn't know that there were even youkais and suddenly, their being attacked by these demons! School has, of course, been cancelled. The youkais destroyed it when they looked in the history books and found that they were left out. Same with the library."  
  
Sango nodded in agreement. "The best thing to do is to leave this house."  
  
"But where will we go?" Kagome asked.  
  
"To lady Kaede's house."  
  
Inuyasha gave an odd little choking laugh and looked at Sango like she was mad.  
  
"Kaede? You mean the little whelp that was Kikyou's sister? Surely she can't be alive still!"  
  
Sango rolled her eyes and turned to Inuyasha. "It's her reincarnation! Of course she's not gonna still be alive you muppet!"  
  
Inuyasha merely sighed and went back to his corner.  
  
Sango stood up and clapped her hands. "Well, I guess we'd better get going then!"  
  
So they all piled out the house and walked out into the street.  
  
"Jesus Christ!" Kagome said, her eyes wide.  
  
The whole street looked like it had been a victim of an earthquake: The pavement was literally coming up off the ground, signposts were wonky or on the ground, cars were destroyed and a few bodies lay strewn around.  
  
After around half an hour of walking and curses, they came to a small hut that looked like a shrine, but a bit bigger. Before they could even knock, the door slid opened, revealing an old woman who looked like she was at least in her seventies, she was quite fat and she was wearing a traditional kimono which had a white top and a red bottom. She also had and patch over one eye.  
  
"Sango! Miroku! Thank Kami sama that you got here safely! Come in come in!" She ushered them in and sat them down around a small square table. After getting cups of tea for them all, she finally sat down next to Kagome, looking quizzically at her.  
  
"Well, well, well, so you're my sister's reincarnation? The resemblance is uncanny! And.." She turned to Inuyasha. "This must be Inuyasha! You haven't changed a bit!"  
  
"I course I wouldn't have! I've been sleeping on a tree for a bazillion years."  
  
"And you still have that attitude."  
  
"So, how come you remember Inuyasha if you're an reincarnation?" Kagome asked timidly.  
  
"I have all of Kaede's memories, they're like my own."  
  
"So, if I'm Kikyou's reincarnation, how come I don't have her memories?"  
  
"Hmmm, it would seem, from talking to people who are reincarnated, only a few people remember their past life. I guess I was just lucky."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Do not worry child! Some memories are best left forgotten sometimes! Come, let's talk about how you came across Inuyasha!"  
  
And so, they talked late into the night, Kaede listened when Kagome talked and Kagome listened when Kaede talked. A few slaps from Sango were directed at Miroku, Shippou fell asleep after about two hours and Inuyasha sat staring at the table, snorting and butting in every now and then.  
  
So their adventure really begins.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Ah! Aching a lot! I couldn't think of a better explanation as to why Kaede had memories and Kagome didn't. Sorry bout that.  
  
Anyway, when I was ranting last time, it wouldn't put in most of my rants! It just had some weird letters! Stupid computer! What I WAS talking about was Harry Potter. I can't remember what I said so I'll just skip that subject.  
  
Oh yeah! Vegito044, Ayame, I can't tell you if Kagome's family is dead! That would just be giving it away! Hahaha! Oh and...  
  
Tinuviel-I know you said it back in Chapter 7 but I like Ayeka, she's just a bit stressed and with that squeaky voice she has! Sasamiiiiiiii! I reckon that Ayeka would be better for Tenchi but Ryoko's like the comic relief! Especially in the baby episode and Washu goes 'I didn't raise you to be a good-for-nothing!' and Ryoko goes 'You didn't raise me at all!' Oh and when she tries to make the baby drink milk powder ahahahaha!  
  
Hmmmm I appear to have gone on a little ^.^() oh well!  
  
See ya!  
  
Sakura Clover 


	11. Scroll 11

Chapter 11-Uh oh....  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Right, Sango, here's your boomerang bone. Miroku, your staff, what's it made out of? Anyway, you are to travel to Kyoto, to the famous Miko shrine. What?! You haven't heard of it? Uncultured kids. There, you should find the Priestess Himitsu. She should be able to help you. You got that?"  
  
The gang looked at Kaede like she was crazy. They stood there in silence until Inuyasha coughed loudly.  
  
"You're expecting us to go from Tokyo to Kyoto. Are you mad?!"  
  
Kaede rolled her eyes and began rummaging in her store cupboard again.  
  
"You're a powerful Hanyou, you've got Kikyou's reincarnation with you, Sango is a demon exterminator and Miroku has that..sucky thing in his hand."  
  
"It's called a kazaana." Miroku mumbled half-heartedly.  
  
"And...." Kaede continued, not listening to Miroku. "This is for you Kagome."  
  
She handed Kagome a bow and a pack full of arrows. The bow looked a little worn and was a dark red, the arrows all looked pretty much new with shiny grey arrowheads.  
  
"Uh..I don't even know HOW to use this. How's this gonna me?" Kagome asked timidly.  
  
"Oh Kamisama. You children! Kikyou was a master of the bow, you're her reincarnation. You'll learn! No go! There isn't much time!" And with that, Kaede shoved the group of humans, monks and demons out the door and slammed it shut, leaving them on a pile on the street.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"We've been walking for AGES! I'm hungry!" Inuyasha whined, his hands on the back on his head. He started tugging at Kagome's sleeve.  
  
"Kagome, can we eat? Kagome? Kagome, I'm hungry. Kagome? Kagome!"  
  
"SHUT UP!"  
  
"What? What'd I say? Kagome?" Kagome was getting more and more stressed. She was hungry too but where were they gonna eat? And Inuyasha moaning every second didn't help...  
  
"Kagome? I'm starving. Can we eat?"  
  
"OOOOOOHHHHH SIT YOU ANNOYING DOG!"  
  
Suddenly, Inuyasha smashed into the ground. The group stopped and looked at Kagome in amazement. Kagome stood there, her eyes wide open. Miroku stepped up to Kagome and shook his head.  
  
"I guess she forgot to tell you." He said.  
  
"T.tell me what?" Kagome asked.  
  
As Miroku rolled Inuyasha onto his back, Kagome could see that Inuyasha was wearing a beaded necklace almost exactly like the one her Grandpa had made, except this one had little stones shaped like fangs on it after every few beads.  
  
"What the?" Inuyasha said jumping up and attempting to take the beads off. When it didn't work, he began biting them, only to hurt his tooth and run around in circles howling.  
  
"Lady Kaede put them on him last night when he was asleep." Miroku shouted over the whining. "Said that things were gonna get dangerous from here on out and that he might need 'taming'."  
  
Inuyasha stopped running around and glared at Miroku.  
  
"What did you say?" He growled, taking a step toward Miroku.  
  
"Well.er.if Kagome utters a subduing word, then you, er, subdue. I'm actually surprised it took you this long to notice them on you."  
  
"And she put them on me when I was sleeping?!"  
  
"Yeah man, I was with her, you snore sooooooo loudly! We had to put cotton wool in our ears."  
  
Inuyasha turn bright red and Shippou had a massive laughing fit. The kitsune laughed so much that he fell out of Kagome's arms and rolled around the floor. Inuyasha leapt at him but Kagome shouted 'Sit!' and he crashed inches from Shippou.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Stepping barefoot onto the scorching pavement didn't even make her flinch. She carried on, smoke rising every time she put her foot down. In the distance, she could see the heat waves, making the skyscrapers and houses appear to be wiggling about.  
  
She knew where she was going. It was instinct. She just followed her feelings. There weren't many of those in her now. Just one foot forward and the other. Like a song stuck on repeat, one foot forward then the other.  
  
She carried on walking until late into the night. She didn't even feel sleepy. All she knew was that she had a goal. And she was getting closer and closer to it.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Inuyasha awoke with a start. He felt something was watching him. Peering around in the pitch black, he saw nothing. 'Must be losing it.' He thought. Now he'd woken up, it would be impossible for him to go back to sleep again, so he jumped down from his tree and walked into the house opposite.  
  
The gang had found an abandoned house near the outskirts of Tokyo. It was quite a big house; someone with a lot of money would've lived in it. The decorating was smart and clean, everything was neat. The people obviously hadn't left in a hurry.  
  
Creeping up the stairs, Inuyasha sniffed the air. Nothing. When he got to the top, he looked around. A long hallway with about three or four rooms. Treading carefully, he went to the last room at the end of the hallway and stood at the door. Using his index finger, he gently poked the door. It creaked loudly and Inuyasha grabbed it immediately. Gripping the edge of the door, he half pushed it into the doorframe and slowly opened the door. It opened silently.  
  
He stepped into the room and walked across to the bed. Lying in it was Kagome. One of her hands was dangling off the bed; the other was under her head. Inuyasha leaned in closer.  
  
'She's a dead ringer for Kikyou.' He thought. 'But she's nothing like Kikyou. How can two people be the same..and different?'  
  
Gently, Inuyasha picked up her dangling hand and put it under the covers. He turned to leave when he heard something move. Turning around, he saw Kagome sitting upright in bed.  
  
"Do you always watch people sleep Inu?" She asked sweetly.  
  
Inuyasha blushed and sat on the floor. "Something woke me up so I..I wanted to make sure the Shikon No Tama was OK." He said quickly.  
  
"Oh." Was that disappointment in her voice?  
  
"So...what are YOU doing awake eh?" He asked, trying to make some conversation.  
  
Kagome shrugged her shoulders. "I couldn't sleep. And I was just about to fall asleep when YOU came in and made the door creak!"  
  
"Oh? Heh, sorry 'bout that."  
  
"S'no problem." Kagome said as she slid off the bed and sat next to Inuyasha.  
  
A few minutes of awkward silence passed.  
  
"So," Inuyasha began. "Why couldn't you sleep?"  
  
Kagome gave him a sad sort of smile and grabbed a pillow. "Just thinkin' too much."  
  
"Care to share?"  
  
"I dunno." Silence. "Inuyasha, remember when I first met you on the God tree?"  
  
"Yeeeeeeeaaaah.."  
  
"You called me Kikyou right?"  
  
"Hmmm.."  
  
+"Hello Priestess Kikyou."+  
  
"I think I remember."  
  
"Well, how come after all this time, you didn't tell me about her? Or that I looked like her?"  
  
"I dunno, guess I never really thought about it until now." That was a lie. He'd been contemplating this 'likeliness' to Kikyou since Kagome had freed him from the tree. He looked at Kagome. Yep, he'd thought about it every single day. And Kagome knew it.  
  
"Well." Kagome clicked her tongue. "Now would be a good time to fill me in."  
  
Inuyasha scoffed. "There really is nothing to tell. She was the Guardian of the Shikon No Tama, I tried to steal it, she pinned me to a tree with a magic arrow and I fell asleep."  
  
Kagome shook her head lightly and squeezed her pillow. "There has to be more to it than THAT."  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Inuyasha asked accusingly.  
  
"Well, the fact that I'm her 'reincarnation' and that I could wake you and that you haven't torn me to shreds and that Miroku and Sango were sent her to protect me..." She checked them off on her fingers as she went.  
  
Inuyasha could see that he was loose the argument of whether it was fate or not, and if he got really into the conversation, he might end up saying more that he wanted. So he stood up, yawned and scratched his side. He looked directly at Kagome. "There's no point trying to figure out whether destiny made this all happen. At least, not now anyway. Just think about getting to Kyoto and who knows, maybe you'll figure it all out as you go along." He gave he a reassuring smile, she smiled back.  
  
"Now get some sleep. We gotta go further tomorrow than we did today 'kay?"  
  
"Okay! Oyasumi nasai!"  
  
"Oyasumi."  
  
Inuyasha walked out the bedroom, down the stairs and into the living room. He spread out on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling. Before long he was snoring loudly.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Wake up! Wake up! We're on the move!" Shippou ran through the house yelling and banging a saucepan with a metal spoon. He managed the bedrooms and halfway down the stairs when Inuyasha grabbed him and forcefully took the objects away from the child.  
  
Sango and Kagome made breakfast while Inuyasha and Miroku sat around looking 'manly', until Kagome forced Inuyasha to lay the table. He and Miroku had to do the washing up afterwards.  
  
"It was lucky there was still food!" Miroku said, grabbing his staff and following Inuyasha to the front door.  
  
"Yes, but maybe next time we might not be so lucky." Sango said quietly.  
  
"Oh Sango!" Inuyasha moaned. "You keep on talking like that." He opened the front door. "And we'll all be.."  
  
Standing on the doorstep was a girl. She was wearing a traditional looking miko kimono, her hair was tied loosely behind her back and her eyes were cold and menacing. She looked almost exactly like Kagome.  
  
"Inuyasha." She said, her voice showing no emotion.  
  
"Doomed." Inuyasha finished his sentenced.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It's really late! I guess I haven't updated in a while eh? I've been soooooooo busy. I finally got my lazy but up to the gym! Okay, I've only been twice. And I got Final Fantasy 10! It's kinda weird. And okay, I printed off a walkthrough the second day I got it but it's HARD! And I've got the SWEETEST CCS t-shirt! It's sleeveless and it's got Sakura and Kero on it! And on the back, it has Cardcaptor Sakura written in Japanese! Oh, I've also got Ah! My Goddess The movie! Cool ne? I've been spending. Heh heh.  
  
Oh yeah! Do you know how many reviews I got for the last chapter? ONE! ONE! I'm a highly paid author! So you people better review! If I don't get at least three, I get discouraged. -sniff- so THANKS to Keyta who reviewed! The rest of you. I'm extremely disappointed in you all! Lol! Joking!  
  
So review ok? Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaasssssseeeeee  
  
Je ne  
  
Sakura Clover 


	12. Scroll 12

Chapter 12- I don't have a name for this one!  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"It's been a while hasn't it Inuyasha?"  
  
"Uh...."  
  
"Hey, who used that blue toothbrush? That was supposed to be my one!" Kagome stomped into the hallway and bumped into Miroku.  
  
"What's going on? Why isn't anyone moving?" She asked. Miroku pointed to the opened front door.  
  
"Why don't you say something to me Inuyasha?" Kikyou asked, her voice devoid of any emotion.  
  
"Well....uh.... Shouldn't you be dead?"  
  
Kikyou let a cold laugh and stepped inside the house. She floated past Sango, Shippou and stopped and Kagome, looking her dead in the eye. Then, she continued into the living room where she sat on the sofa. Everyone followed her in.  
  
"What nice accommodation you have Inuyasha." Kikyou said politely.  
  
Inuyasha had suddenly gained some courage and walked up to Kikyou.  
  
"So. How come you're alive?" He asked impatiently.  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know?"  
  
Everyone was in utter silence as they waited for Kikyou's reply. A few seconds passed and Kikyou smiled wryly.  
  
"Well, I'm not complete yet you see.." She turned her gaze to Kagome. "There's still a matter of a soul I need."  
  
Suddenly, a bright light flashed in front of everyone. They all instinctively raised their hands over their eyes.  
  
"Kikyou!" Inuyasha screeched, trying to see through the brightness of the light.  
  
"Inuyasha!" He heard Kagome scream. He fumbled about; trying to get to her but it was no use.  
  
"Kagome! Kagome!" *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The only Kagome remembered when the light flashed was Kikyou running at her and grabbing her wrists tightly. She screamed for Inuyasha and she heard him yell back but at that moment, everything went black.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
When she awoke, Kagome found herself in what appeared to be a bath. She struggled but found that she couldn't move an inch. Just managing to move her head, she saw a mangled corpse of what looked like an old woman.  
  
"She was the one who brought me back to this hell." Kikyou said sadly, stepping into view. Behind her was a man who looked like he was wearing some kind of monkey fur.  
  
"Who the hell are you?!" She managed to say as the monkey-man came closer.  
  
"That need not concern you." He said calmly.  
  
They appeared to be in an abandoned shrine in what looked like a forest. There were dead leaves everywhere and it was completely silent. Kagome began to feel scared but she tried not to show it.  
  
"What are you going to do with me?" She asked coldly.  
  
"Oh, just extract your soul, making Kikyou turn into a real human and you into a lifeless shell." The man said casually as he gathered some herbs and placed them into a bowl.  
  
"Oh."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!" Inuyasha yelled as he destroyed the fourth chair with his razor sharp claws.  
  
"Y'know Inuyasha," said Shippou quietly. "It'd be a lot easier if we went and looked for Kagome instead of watch you destroy chairs."  
  
"Of course!" Inuyasha said as he slashed the last chair. "Why didn't I think of that?! Let's go!" And with that, he ran straight out the house and down the road.  
  
"Uh, was he being sarcastic or did he really not have a clue?" Shippou asked Miroku. Miroku shrugged his shoulders and they followed Inuyasha.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
'I'll follow Kagome's scent! It'll lead me straight to her. But what happened to Kikyou? Why did she take Kagome?'  
  
As Inuyasha tore down the street he distinctly caught the scent of Kagome, and another person and a half dead person.  
  
"What the hell?" He said aloud. Was Kikyou half dead? She DID say something about a soul.  
  
The scent took him to the outskirts of Tokyo, where there was a dense forest.  
  
Without a second thought, he plunged straight into it.  
  
Shortly after he went into the forest, Miroku, Sango and Shippou came into view, huffing and puffing.  
  
"W...where did he go?" Sango asked, out of breath.  
  
"I don't know, but we'd better stop." Shippou said.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Miroku's just passed out."  
  
^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Gonna. Throw. Up." Kagome muttered through clenched teeth.  
  
"Not long now." Said the man.  
  
Kikyou sat in the corner, watching as the man mixed the herbs together. He then began chanting and Kikyou stood up and stood next to the bath thing that Kagome was in.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"I'm getting closer!" Inuyasha said as he heard a voice. It sounded like it was chanting something. It almost sounded silly.  
  
He burst through the bushes and scowled. Something white had just flown into Kikyou. Kagome was in a pool of liquid and an ape-man was sitting next to the pool with a bowl of mush.  
  
"What's going on here eh?" Inuyasha said as he eyed up the corpse of a youkai woman.  
  
"Inuyasha. You're just in time." Kikyou said, stepping forward. She looked a lot less pale than when she appeared on the doorstep. She seemed almost happy. Inuyasha looked behind Kikyou at the pool and saw Kagome lying in it. She looked almost dead. Her eyes were wide open but they looked empty.  
  
"Forget about her." Kikyou said, floating up to Inuyasha and putting her hands on his shoulders. "She is nothing."  
  
Inuyasha couldn't move. It had been so long since he had felt Kikyou embrace him. Suddenly, there was no such person as Kagome. There was only him and Kikyou.  
  
++ "I wonder..do I look better as a hanyou, or a human?"  
  
"A hanyou." ++  
  
++ "The girls there are a bit strange."  
  
"That's because they all think you're sooooo cute and sooooo cool. It'll probably get worse."  
  
"Oh. Do you think I'm cute?" ++  
  
Suddenly, Inuyasha pushed Kikyou away from. She fell onto the floor and looked up at Inuyasha, her eyes wide.  
  
"Inuyasha." She said, almost pleadingly.  
  
Sango and Shippou came climbing out of the bushes, huffing and puffing. They immediately stood up when they saw Kikyou. Sango got her boomerang bone ready and Shippou sort of growled and clenched his fists.  
  
Inuyasha rushed to the pool where Kagome was lying. Her wrists and ankles were tied up but a petrifying spell had also been placed on her. He immediately untied the ropes and shook her.  
  
"Kagome, Kagome, Kagome." He said over and over, shaking her harder and harder.  
  
Miroku appeared out of nowhere and kneeled next to Inuyasha, his fingers stroking his chin in a very thoughtful pose.  
  
"She appears to be soulless." He said after many chin-stroking sessions.  
  
"I know that!" Snapped Inuyasha as he shook her again.  
  
"Yeah and shaking her isn't going to help." Miroku said wisely.  
  
"I know THAT!" Inuyasha yelled as he shook her harder.  
  
Miroku looked up and froze. Unaware, Inuyasha carried on shaking Kagome.  
  
"Naraku." He muttered.  
  
"What." Inuyasha said absently mindedly as he carried on with the shaking.  
  
"Naraku." Miroku said louder, his voice full of hate.  
  
"That's nice." Said Inuyasha.  
  
Without warning, Miroku leapt at the monkey-man, his staff held high above him.  
  
"Miroku!" Sango shouted and went to his defence, but Kikyou stood in front of her and blasted the demon exterminator.  
  
"Sango!" Shippou shouted and jumped on Kikyou's face. She staggered about, trying to Shippou off as he scratched at her face.  
  
Inuyasha was completely oblivious to what was going on. When he FINALLY realised that shaking Kagome wasn't going to work, he hung his head.  
  
"Wake up." He pleaded.  
  
"Take THAT and THAT!" Shippou yelled as he hit and scratched Kikyou. She tripped over backwards and landed in the pool. A white essence floated out of Kikyou and into Kagome. Kikyou struggled to get out the pool. When she got out, she began to run into the forest. Inuyasha followed her.  
  
Kagome suddenly opened her eyes and gasped. She looked around and sat up.  
  
"What the hell.." Shippou jumping on her face and trying to claw her eyes out cut her short.  
  
"DIE KIKYOU SCUM!" He shouted.  
  
"Shippou!" Kagome managed to say as she pulled the fox demon off her face. "It's me! Kagome!"  
  
Shippou looked her up and down and cried out in joy. "KAGOME!" He said, hugging her neck.  
  
"Ugh." Kagome said, choking.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
She ran and ran. Her bare were scraped and bleeding from all the stones but she didn't care. If she got too close to that....IMITATION again then the rest of her soul might be sucked out.  
  
Inuyasha followed Kikyou with all he had. He was partly cursing himself for following and partly wanted to go find her.  
  
'I've should've stayed and seen if Kagome was OK.' He thought and he watched the bottom of Kikyou's kimono go in and out of sight.  
  
Kikyou plunged through the bushes and stopped dead. There was a cliff. She looked over. It was REALLY high, and the bottom only had a small pond looking thing.  
  
"Kikyou."  
  
She spun round; Inuyasha was standing there, looking sad. He took a step forward. She took a step back.  
  
"Why did you take Kagome?" He asked softly. She smiled cruelly.  
  
"You really like her don't you Inuyasha?" She said.  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Kikyou's smile faded and her eyes glazed over. She stepped towards Inuyasha.  
  
"Do you like her more than me?" She asked. Her voice breaking slightly.  
  
Inuyasha strode up to Kikyou and wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"Never.." He whispered.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Can someone please tell me what is GOING ON?!" Kagome yelled. Naraku had disappeared and everyone was sitting around the pool. Everyone, except for Inuyasha.  
  
"Well, Kikyou stole you! And we went after her! After Inuyasha broke a few chairs. And Miroku fainted because he's not very fit!"  
  
"I am too!" Miroku interjected.  
  
"Then we found you in this pool and Kikyou had your SOUL! And Inuyasha was shaking and shaking." Shippou imitated Inuyasha but it looked more like he was strangling a chicken very dramatically.  
  
"Then I attacked Kikyou! Sango was too weak!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Then she fell in the pool and your soul returned to you!"  
  
"Oh." Said Kagome, slightly confused. "So...where's Inuyasha?"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
They had been like that for what had seemed like years. Two people embracing each other. Everything else had been forgotten. All the hate. All the torment. It was all gone as they stood there.  
  
"Inuyasha.." Kikyou mumbled. Inuyasha held her tighter.  
  
"You were lying."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"About that girl."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"It's too late anyway."  
  
Inuyasha felt immense pain in his side. Quickly, he shoved Kikyou away. She staggered back right to the cliff edge. Inuyasha, realising what she was about to do, ran forward, his arm outstretched. Kikyou smiled and toppled off the cliff, only to have Inuyasha grasp her hand at the last minute.  
  
She was still smiling when her other hand started to gather a ball of energy.  
  
"Kikyou, get back into Kagome. Please." Inuyasha said, holding her hand tight.  
  
"You'd dare ask me to give up my life?" Her smile faded. "I died hating you. Nothing can change that." She aimed the ball at Inuyasha's outstretched hand. "And besides, you've already found someone else."  
  
He let go just as the ball hit him. Kikyou fell down and down until Inuyasha couldn't see her frail little frame anymore. He cursed at himself and drew his cut up arm back in.  
  
He stood up slowly, his arm really hurt, but he didn't care. Inuyasha poked the wound a bit, making it bleed some more. He looked towards a cluster of trees.  
  
"You can come out now." He said quietly.  
  
Kagome stepped timidly out of the bushes. She looked at Inuyasha, then at the cliff edge, then back at Inuyasha.  
  
"You okay?" She asked nervously.  
  
Inuyasha looked sadly at the tree behind her, not making eye contact. "Yeah." He muttered, his voice braking. "I'm fine."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
There had been a battle; hundreds of dead bodies lay around, some cut up beyond recognition. Women, children, men, all had been victim to a youkai attack. A deep pond stained red with blood held most of the lost limbs of the dead. Its surface began to ripple, and then a head appeared, then a body. Kikyou stumbled out of the pond. Half alive, half dead, she crawl along the water's edge, staring blankly at the sky, an eerie smile playing on her lips.  
  
"I'm alive...Inuyasha....."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
That took me sooooooooooo long! My neck really hurts and I've been REALLY bad at typing today!  
  
As for the reviews.....I'm impressed. I got a lot more than last time. Good job everyone, I'm proud of you. ^.^ I completed FFX, it was cool, took me ages to kill the guy inside Sin. He just kept on healing!  
  
Well, I think this was a good chapter! I'm proud of it.  
  
Carry on reviewing pleeeeaaaaassssseeee!  
  
Sakura Clover 


	13. Scroll 13

Chapter 13-Leaving Tokyo  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The gang had reached the outskirts of Tokyo. Beyond that, there was just road. As they started to cross the border, Kagome turned around, taking one last, long look at her hometown.  
  
She didn't expect things to turn out like they did. She just thought they'd make their way to Kyoto and see the priestess who'll help them. She CERTAINLY didn't expect Kikyou to suddenly appear and try to steal her soul.  
  
"C'mon Kagome, hurry up." Inuyasha said quietly.  
  
That was another thing. It had only been two days since Kikyou had tried to steal Kagome's soul and Inuyasha was behaving weirdly: He never looked Kagome in the eye, he always spoke quietly to her and he wasn't as obnoxious as he usually was. It was definitely strange.  
  
"Coming." Kagome said reluctantly.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Well, I suppose we'd better rest here for the night." Sango said, sitting down underneath a tree near the motorway.  
  
They all sat down, letting their feet have a rest from the long day of walking.  
  
"Sooooo..." Shippou said, trying to break the awkward silence. "How come you knew that money-man Miroku?"  
  
Miroku raised his head to look at Shippou. He had also been unusually quiet since Kikyou had appeared.  
  
"He was the one...who gave my family the kazaana curse." He said darkly.  
  
Everybody stared intently at Miroku, waiting for an explanation. After about ten minutes, Miroku finally opened his mouth.  
  
"My Great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather was the one who first fought Naraku. The battle spanned over several years and it's said that each time they met, Naraku stole the form of a different person."  
  
'He assumes different forms?!' Kagome thought.  
  
"In their final confrontation, it is said that Naraku took the form of a beautiful courtesan. My grandfather did indeed posses incredible spiritual powers but..."  
  
"He was a pervert." Sango said a-matter-of-factly.  
  
"Ahem." Miroku coughed irritably. "ANYWAY, Naraku pierced my grandfather, straight through his sealing scroll saying, 'the hellhole I have opened in your hand shall ultimately swallow you, and your children and your children's children. So long as I'm alive, this curse shall be passed down until your line has vanished from the earth!' and escaped him forever."  
  
It was completely silent. The only sound was the crackling of the fire Shippou had made a few minutes before Miroku's story.  
  
Miroku raised his kazaana hand in front of his face a clenched it, smiling sadly.  
  
"If I cannot defeat Naraku.... Then in a few years, I too shall be devoured."  
  
Suddenly, Inuyasha stood up, a fiery look in his eyes. "He was with Kikyou right? He must be the bastard that brought her back in that evil form! I'll tear his insides apart!"  
  
'His got so much determination.' Kagome thought. 'Maybe he really liked Kikyou. Maybe he still really likes her..."  
  
"Well..." Miroku said.  
  
"Well what?" Inuyasha said.  
  
"He apparently nearly came into possession of the Shikon No Tama. He slew the priestess who was guarding it..."  
  
"He killed Kikyou!" Inuyasha was now in a flying rage. "He tricked me AND Kikyou so we would end up killing each other? That must be it! I'll find him! I'll kill him!"  
  
"But, we have a mission to complete remember?" Shippou piped up.  
  
"I don't care about that!" Inuyasha yelled, causing the little demon to grab onto Kagome's sleeve.  
  
"Right now all I care about is finding Naraku and destroying him like he did to me and Kikyou!"  
  
And with that, he stomped off into the small forest near their tree.  
  
"So that's what's been going on." Everyone turned around to see Kaede standing near the road. "It was Naraku's evil plot that led to Kikyou's death and now he's brought her back for some other dastardly scheme."  
  
"How the hell did you get here!?" Sango yelled. "You scared me half to death!"  
  
"Oh? Did I? I'm sorry." Kaede walked over to the group and sat down. "I'm on a journey of my own you see. I'm travelling to Osaka to speak to a VERY powerful priest. I need his advice as to why my sister has returned to us." She took a flask out of her kimono and began drinking from it. After a few swigs, she looked over at Kagome.  
  
"You seem troubled child." She said softly.  
  
"Hmm? Oh. I'm just worried about Inuyasha." Kagome replied absent-mindedly.  
  
"Yes." Agreed Kaede. "It appears that there was more to Inuyasha and Kikyou's relationship than I first thought."  
  
A few moments silence and then:  
  
"Well, we'd all better get some sleep. Thinking while you're tired doesn't get you anywhere." And with that, Kaede rested her head against the tree and fell asleep. The others followed her advice and soon, everyone was asleep.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
OK, that was short, but I think I have writer's block or something. (I don't even know what that is!) Plus, I've gotta update my CCS story, which I shouldn't really have started as I haven't got a plot for it yet! Oh well, it'll come to me.  
  
I hope.  
  
Ja ne!  
  
Sakura Clover 


	14. Scroll 14

Chapter 14-The Peach Man (part 1)  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It was bright and early when Kagome woke up. Looking around at the other sleeping forms she noticed that Kaede had gone.  
  
'Must've started her travels early.' She thought. Inuyasha was also nowhere to be seen.  
  
Slowly, Kagome got up and stretched, put on her backpack and looked over her shoulder, everyone was still sleeping peacefully. Smiling, she walked into the forest to try and find some food.  
  
After walking for about ten minutes, she came upon a stream. Sitting down on the water's edge, Kagome took out a bottle from her backpack and began to fill it up.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Inuyasha walked into the clearing where the gang was. Miroku was slumped against Sango and Shippou was snoozing on a tree branch. Kagome wasn't there and neither was her backpack. He could also smell Kaede's scent. She must've arrived after he stormed off.  
  
Sitting down crossed legged and with his head in his hands, Inuyasha began to ponder. Even though he'd been thinking all night, he wasn't about to stop now.  
  
'Why did Kikyou come back? And what was all that stuff about me lying to her? What did she mean? And Kagome...the look on her face...'  
  
"YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"  
  
Jumping up from his spot on the floor, Inuyasha raced to the spot where he heard the scream. Sango woke immediately out of her sleep and ran after Inuyasha while Miroku and Shippou groggily woke up and slowly made their way towards the noise.  
  
When Inuyasha got there he found Kagome hunched up against a tree, her water bottle on the floor and a head floating in and out of the water. He walked over to the head and picked it up.  
  
"Don't touch it!" Kagome yelled. "It's dead and mangled and probably diseased!"  
  
"Oh please," Inuyasha sighed. "It's just a head!"  
  
"Yeah! A dead one! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"  
  
"What now?"  
  
"There's more coming this way!"  
  
Inuyasha threw the head back into the river just as Sango, Shippou and Miroku appeared.  
  
"-Huff- what's -huff- going on?" Miroku asked. Inuyasha pointed towards the floating heads.  
  
Miroku straightened up and walked over to the river. "A battle upstream maybe?" He asked Inuyasha.  
  
"No, there are no cuts or marks on these heads. Something else is happening."  
  
Sango knelt down next to Kagome.  
  
"They were all icky and horrible and I was DRINKING that water!" Kagome whined.  
  
"I know I know." Sango said comfortingly, she stood up and looked at Inuyasha. "I once heard that in ancient times, a hermit lived somewhere near here, on a mountain. Do you think he's responsible for the heads?"  
  
"Hmmm, a cannibal? Well, there's only one way to find out."  
  
"LET'S GO!"  
  
Everyone turned to look at Kagome; she had stood up and was walking towards the river.  
  
"But, just now you were terrified!" Inuyasha protested.  
  
"I got over it didn't I?" She replied, taking off her shoes and socks and began walking across the river.  
  
Shrugging, Inuyasha followed Kagome's lead and soon everyone was across the river and heading for the mountain.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The man ran across the hard ground of the mountain.  
  
" 'Tis a trick! He is no hermit! I must escape." He ran down a few more steps before a round, whale of a man with beady eyes and spaghetti hair stopped him.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?"  
  
The runaway stepped back in fright.  
  
"Do you not wish to become my student?"  
  
The man trembled. "I...I won't tell anyone what I've seen here!" He stuttered.  
  
The whale man stepped closer to the runaway and grabbed him. Before the runaway could even make a sound, the whale man had stuffed him in his mouth and chewed. The bones made a horrible crunching sound as he swallowed the legs of the runaway.  
  
Burping, the whale man took a peach out of his robes and began to eat that.  
  
"Whew," He said. "Without some fruit now and then, I get heartburn."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Ahhhhhhhhh! Ok, that was even shorted than the last one! I REALLY can't be bothered to write. I'm sorry! I also don't get my reviews emailed to me cos I have an outblaze email account (curse it!) And I STILL haven't updated my CCS one either. I'm terrible!!!!!!!! Oh well, at least I updated!  
  
I've got Spirited Away! It's so good! Ahh, Haku...Ok, his hair needs cutting but he's so nice. -Smile- And I also saw the Cowboy Bebop movie! Ed is sooooo cool!  
  
Hee hee it's my Birrrrrrthday tomorrow. But I'm not that excited. Perhaps it's cos I got my presents real early. Oh well. -Sniff- I'm gonna be older! Nooooooo I want to be young like Peter Pan! I don't wanna grow up!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
See ya!  
  
Sakura Clover 


	15. Scroll 15

Chapter 15-The Peach Man (Part 2)  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"We've been walking for AAAAAAGGGGGGEEEEES. Can't we stop?" Miroku moaned as they climbed up the mountain.  
  
"No." Sango said sternly. "We're not stopping until we reach the top!"  
  
"Damn."  
  
"Wait." Kagome said, stopping. "Did you hear that?"  
  
"What?" Inuyasha asked, his hands resting on the back of his head.  
  
"There it is again! It's a voice!" Kagome shouted and started running away.  
  
"KAGOME! COME BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" Shippou yelled as Kagome's figure became smaller and smaller.  
  
Kagome stopped when she came to a huge tree near a lake. Inuyasha came up behind her and shrugged.  
  
"A tree, Kagome." He said sarcastically.  
  
(Help us...)  
  
"YAAAAA!" Inuyasha screamed, jumping back "What the hell was THAT?"  
  
"I told you I could hear voices!" Kagome said a-matter-of-factly.  
  
"And I assumed you were talking about the ones in your head."  
  
"SIT!"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
When Sango, Miroku and Shippou had caught up with Kagome, they found Inuyasha writhing on the floor in pain.  
  
"He fell over." Kagome said, smiling.  
  
They walked up to the big tree and found that instead of fruits, the tree had...  
  
"Heads?!" Sango said in surprise.  
  
"We must listen to their tales." Miroku said wisely and he sat down in front of the tree.  
  
"Tell us please, who are you? What happened?"  
  
The head of an old man spoke. (We were devoured by the man of the mountain.)  
  
"A cannibal?" Kagome thought aloud.  
  
(We all tired of this life of poverty and destruction so we left our homes because we had heard that this mountain was a paradise, tended by an old master.)  
  
Another head spoke up, a girl who looked no older than Kagome. (We were only food. For the hermit called 'The Peach Man'.)  
  
"Pshhhhh, what a bunch of fools. Taken in by a story like that!" Inuyasha said, his arms folded.  
  
"I...Inuyasha! Don't you think they've suffered enough?" Kagome turned to the head of the old man and bowed. "I'm sorry, he has the physique of Superman with the intelligence of a baby."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
(It's all right.) The man replied.  
  
"So..." Sango murmured. "Is there any way we can help you?"  
  
(For us, it is too late. But there must be others who haven't been devoured yet. Please save them if you can.)  
  
Suddenly, a noise was heard above the group, as they looked up, some bones fells down and landed with a crash on the ground near the tree.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAH! HUMAN BONES! FRESH HUMAN BONES!" Shippou screamed, he jumped back and began to run around in circles, screaming until Kagome picked him up and stroked him gently.  
  
"Hey, looked at that branch!" Sango said, pointing to the space next to the old man head. A head was sprouting out from the wood.  
  
(It's the head of the former owner of those bones.) Said the girl's head. (A head of enchanted fruit, the heart of the Peach Man's elixir or youth and longevity...)  
  
Inuyasha snorted loudly and rudely. "Whatever name you call him," Inuyasha jumped up to the ledge above him. "He sounds like a demon to me!" And he jumped up to the next ledge.  
  
"Hey! Inuyasha! Wait up!" Kagome yelled. "We should all go together!"  
  
Inuyasha turned back, a scowl on his face. "By the time I lug each one of you up one by one, the sun will have set!" And with that, he jumped up the mountain.  
  
"What's the sunset got to do with anything?" Shippou whispered in Kagome's ear.  
  
"Tonight's the turning of the cycle." Sango said, picking up her Boomerang Bone. "The new moon."  
  
'That means,' Kagome thought. 'This is the night Inuyasha's demon powers fade.'  
  
She looked up the cliff. "When he becomes fully human."  
  
*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Even though Inuyasha had been human practically 24/7 when he had gone to Kagome's school, he decided that being human was a terrible disadvantage when fighting evil beings and he cursed himself for almost giving up his demonic ness which he had worked SO hard to get in the first place. Again.  
  
When he reached the top, Inuyasha found what looked like an ancient Japanese house, with sliding screens instead of a door. He strutted up to the screen and dramatically opened it up. With the scariest face he could pull he came upon a closet. Blushing furiously and glad that the group wasn't with him. He walked to another screen door and put his ear against it. Hearing voices, he yet again pulled a scary face and forced to screen door open.  
  
The Peach Man was sitting on the floor, a pile of bones in the corner and a peach in his hand. He looked up when Inuyasha made his flashy entrance.  
  
"Well, aren't you a tough looking fellow?" He said, somewhat spookily.  
  
Inuyasha held his claws in front of his face and tensed them.  
  
"Are you The Peach Man? I've come to kill you."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The whole mountain was silent expect for the wind, rustling through the trees and throughout The Peach Man's house.  
  
Inuyasha gave The Peach Man a look of disgust. "Pretty well fed I see." He drew his Tetsusaiga and aimed it at The Peach Man. "It pays to pose as an ancient master and devour your students!" He rushed towards fat hermit and swung his blade. "PREPARE TO DIE PEACH MAN!"  
  
As Inuyasha thrust the sword into The Peach Man's stomach, he suddenly felt the sword swing back.  
  
'What....' He thought. 'His flesh...repelled the Tetsusaiga?!'  
  
The Peach Man grabbed a wooden staff with leaves entwined around the top and held it up.  
  
"I don't know who you are demon!" He said quite calmly but with some malice in his voice. "But you shall see that I do not POSE as an ancient master!" Waving his staff, flowers popped up around Inuyasha.  
  
"Flowers!" Inuyasha scoffed. "Cheap diversions for a 'master' don't you think?"  
  
The Peach Man's eye widened a little and he smiled. "Look very carefully at those flowers."  
  
Looking again, Inuyasha saw that the flowers had suddenly grown very large and were now bigger than him.  
  
"So what?!" Inuyasha yelled. A big fat hand reached out and grabbed him. The Peach Man was now a Peach giant! Inuyasha struggled in the huge podgy hand as it brought him closer to The Peach Man's mouth.  
  
"FOOL!" He cackled. "You've shrunk!" Then he popped Inuyasha into his mouth and swallowed.  
  
"Curse iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" Inuyasha yelled as he tumbled into The Peach Man's large belly.  
  
Sitting back down, The Peach Man licked his fingers.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^  
  
"Huff, huff, huff, phew!" Shippou had turned into a round, floaty thing and was carrying Kagome, Miroku and Sango up the mountain.  
  
"Hang in there Shippou!" Kagome said encouragingly. "We're almost there!"  
  
"You're quite strong, for someone your size." Miroku said.  
  
Kagome looked up at the house, slowly getting closer and closer.  
  
"Sorry." Shippou said.  
  
"Hmm?" Suddenly, Shippou started to fall.  
  
"Get off! Get off!" Miroku yelled, grabbing hold of Sango and Kagome and leaping onto the edge of the cliff.  
  
"Owww..." Kagome moaned, holding her head.  
  
SLAP  
  
"Miroku! I said not to touch me there!" Sango screamed.  
  
"I was checking for wounds!" Miroku protested.  
  
"Well you shouldn't!"  
  
"Hey guys." Shippou asked nervously. "Where are we?"  
  
Looking in front of her, Kagome saw that they had landed on a set of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs was a room. It had some pots in one corner and right in the middle was what looked like a miniature garden.  
  
"I guess this is The Peach Man's lair." Miroku said, looking around.  
  
"But, what's this miniature garden?" Sango asked, stepping up to it.  
  
"Look! Look! There's people in there!" Shippou said excitedly, pointing at a tiny human man, plodding around aimlessly.  
  
"There's a lot of them in the shade of the trees." Sango said suspiciously.  
  
Miroku straightened up. "These must be the victims of The Peach Man!"  
  
Kagome suddenly felt herself going into the garden.  
  
"The garden! It's growing!" Shippou cried out.  
  
"No! Don't look at it!" Miroku gasped.  
  
"We're, we're..." Sango started. "Inside the garden." Kagome finished.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"T.....that BASTARD! When I get outta here I'm gonna slaughter him!" Inuyasha growled, climbing up The Peach Man's huge stomach. Then he heard a sort of roar and, looking up, saw a great big rush of water coming straight at him. Slipping, Inuyasha fell straight back to the bottom.  
  
"Damn it! Ugh, this stinks of medicine!" He said to himself. He looked to his left and saw a bone, covered with acid, beginning to melt down.  
  
"Looks like I don't have a lot of time." Inuyasha said, frowning. He held up his claws and smiled evilly. "Maybe I'll rip him up from the inside!"  
  
He leapt at the wall of the stomach; his hand sunk in and bounced back out again. Inuyasha fell into the acid.  
  
"Arghh, his body is as rubbery on the inside as it is on the outside!"  
  
Inuyasha suddenly felt strange. His eye widened as he looked down at his hands.  
  
"M.....my claws!" He said. His claws were receding into normal human nails. His hair was slowly turning into black. Gasping, he took a step back.  
  
'And when I've turned completely into a human, I'll dissolve!'  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
HAHAHAHAHAHA end of chapter! Now you'll never know! AHAHAHAHAHAHA. Unless you read the comics. -Gets on knees- PLEASE DON'T READ THE COMICS! Ok, Ok, so Haku is pretty cool with long hair. I just have FRINGE issues! Have you noticed that in nearly EVERY manga, everyone has a fringe? Go on. Look! Aaaaaanyway. Does anyone have a picture of Irino Miyu? I swear this guy has no face! I can't find a picture of him anywhere! So if you're hiding a picture of him, let me have a look pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaassssse! Once again that's Irino Miyu, voices include Haku-Spirited Away, Daisuke-DN Angel, Sora-Kingdom Hearts and he did a voice over in Ally Macbeal. Please. I'm desperate!  
  
Ja ne!  
  
Sakura Clover  
  
P.S. who wants me to make a website with all my terrible drawings! Put that hand down mister! 


	16. Scroll 16

Chapter 16-The Peach Man (yet again.)  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
'Tonight's the full moon, my demonic powers are fading, I'm trapped inside a monster's body and I'm about to be digested.'  
  
Inuyasha looked around him at the acid bubbling and popping.  
  
"MAN! THIS SUCKS!"  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The Peach Man twisted the Tetsusaiga from the left to the right, examining every angle of it. He was lying on his pillow, one hand supporting his head and the other turning the sword around.  
  
"Hmmm, no matter how I look at it," He said aloud. "It's just a plain old rusty sword."  
  
He sat up and looked directly at the sword. "But when that doggy swung it, it seemed to transform."  
  
A sudden rumbling in his stomach shook him out of his contemplating; he looked down and quickly thumped his stomach. "Settle down!" He demanded.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Yaaaaaaaaa!" Inuyasha flew headfirst into the acid, his ears were beginning to go down into his head and his hair was almost completely black. "It burns! It Burns!" He struggled to get up, using his scabbard as support. "Ugh, my clothes are dissolving!" He exclaimed.  
  
Suddenly, his hand gave a massive jerk, startling Inuyasha. It was the scabbard! It was calling to the Tetsusaiga!  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The Peach Man looked suspiciously at the sword. It was hovering and shaking. Then, it came straight at him, hitting him right in the bellybutton.  
  
"What?" He thought as the sword dropped onto the floor. Suddenly, there was big rumbly in his tumbly. Groping his stomach tightly, he was violently sick all over his floor. And with that sick, came a full sized Inuyasha.  
  
Grabbing his sword, Inuyasha swung it at The Peach Man. "You Pig!" He cried, but the same thing happened when he first tried to attack The Peach Man, it was repelled and Inuyasha was thrown onto the floor.  
  
The Peach Man's eye widened and he glared at Inuyasha. "You!" He threatened as he jumped in the air and landed on poor Inuyasha, rendering the Hanyou unconscious.  
  
Picking Inuyasha up by the hair, The Peach Man inspected him like he did the Tetsusaiga. "The same demon?" He thought aloud.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"HURRY!" Kagome yelled at some of the men under the tree of the miniature garden. "Get out of here! Before The Peach Man eats you!"  
  
The men merely lopped their heads to one side and stared into space.  
  
'What's with these guys?' Kagome thought. 'They're totally spaced out!'  
  
Miroku, Sango and Shippou came up behind Kagome.  
  
"I have tried to reaching everyone." Miroku said, huffing and puffing.  
  
"But it's like they're soulless shells." Sango said, the worry evident in her voice.  
  
Shippou pooped up from behind Miroku's shoulder. "Maybe that monster has put a spell on them." He suggested.  
  
"But we're all fine." Kagome said.  
  
Sango looked down at one of the man's hand. Next to it was the remains of a peach. She pointed this out to Miroku.  
  
"Ah HAH!" Miroku yelled, pointing his finger in the air, like he just had an idea. "It's so obvious!" Suddenly, he turned deadly serious. "If you eat or drink from this place, then your volition is stolen from you."  
  
"T...That makes sense." Sango said, inching a little closer to Miroku.  
  
"What's 'volition'?" Shippou asked curiously.  
  
"I have no idea. I just thought it sounded good."  
  
Sango inched away from Miroku.  
  
"So as long as we don't eat or drink from here, we're fine!" Shippou said brightly.  
  
"Yeah!" Kagome replied, brightening up as well.  
  
Miroku sat cross-legged on the grass. "Until we die of starvation and thirst." He said.  
  
Everyone sighed.  
  
"Hey," Sango said, pointing at the sky. "Look!"  
  
A whole bunch of dark clouds were gathering over the garden and right in the middle of the clouds, a huge, plump hand stretched out, coming towards the garden.  
  
Kagome took one look at it and began running towards it.  
  
"Kagome!" Sango yelled.  
  
"We have to get out!" Kagome yelled back over her shoulder. "And this is the only way!"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^  
  
The Peach Man took his hand out of the garden and opened it up. On his palm, skinny little men were lying, groaning and generally looking spaced out.  
  
"Hmmmm." The Peach Man sighed in disappointment. "They're all skinny, bitter little men."  
  
Just as he was about to put the handful back, he saw Kagome, resting in his palm.  
  
"Well now!" He said, smiling. "I don't remember catching you, young maiden."  
  
He flicked the rest of the men off his palm and wrapped his podgy fingers around Kagome.  
  
"Heh heh, just my day! First, I catch a demonic half breed and now this little..."  
  
"You caught Inuyasha!?" Kagome gasped, interrupting The Peach Man.  
  
"Oh? Don't tell me you two know each other?" The Peach Man said.  
  
"He better be alive and whole Peach Man!" Kagome spat. "Or...I'll never forgive you!"  
  
Miroku and Sango were clinging onto The Peach Man's sleeve while Shippou was perched nicely on Miroku's shoulder.  
  
"Amazing." Sango whispered in Miroku's ear.  
  
"Where does she get the nerve?" Shippou questioned.  
  
Miroku sweat dropped. "I suppose this is mild by her standards."  
  
The Peach Man smiled evilly. "You've got spunk." He said, squeezing Kagome. "It'd be a waste to eat you while you were tiny."  
  
Kagome screamed and fainted. Miroku, Sango and Shippou looked on in desperation.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
When Inuyasha woke up, he was trapped in what appeared to be thorn bushes. The thorns dug into his skin and his blood was dripping onto the floor. His vision was blurred and he was having trouble trying to keep consciousness.  
  
The Peach Man entered the room, a smile playing on his thin black lips.  
  
"Aww you're still alive I see." He said as he dropped some clothes onto the floor. Inuyasha looked at them. They were Kagome's clothes! He his stomach clench and his gritted his teeth.  
  
'Kagome!' He thought. 'Please, don't let it be!'  
  
Sitting down in front of Inuyasha, The Peach Man's smile got wider. "What a sad expression on your face hanyou."  
  
Inuyasha growled at The Peach Man and struggled to get out.  
  
"Struggle all you want, the more you struggle, the more the thorns will suck up your blood." The Peach Man said with delight.  
  
"Kagome." Inuyasha said, no emotion in his voice. "What have you done with her?"  
  
"Oh don't worry, you'll see her soon enough." The fat man picked up a jug of liquid and began to drink it. "In my belly."  
  
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed in anger. "You ATE her!" He said calmly, the anger evident in his voice.  
  
"What else are mortals for?" The Peach Man said casually.  
  
"Bastard." Inuyasha whispered.  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"Bastard," He said louder. "Bastard, bastard, bastard, BASTARD!" Inuyasha was thrashing violently at The Peach Man, sitting inches away from him.  
  
Sango, Shippou and Miroku appeared from Kagome's shirt. They saw Inuyasha thrashing at The Peach Man while yelling very rude things at the smiling fat man.  
  
"That's Inuyasha!" Sango said. "He looks so much different from when he wore Grandpa Higurashi's necklace!"  
  
Miroku unravelled his prayer beads and looked at the vines restraining Inuyasha.  
  
"I don't know how much I can suck...." He opened up his hand and a great gust of wind began to suck up the vines. With a yell of triumph, Inuyasha lunged at the bewildered Peach Man. They landed with a thump. The Peach Man was lying in the vines, unconscious. Inuyasha crawled up to the belly of The Peach Man.  
  
"Hang in there Kagome." He pleaded. "I'll get you out!"  
  
"Inuyasha!" Miroku yelled. Of course to Inuyasha, it sounded like a mouse squeaking his name.  
  
"You guys!"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome slowly opened her heavy eyelids. She sniffed. 'What's that smell?' She thought. 'Sake?'  
  
She made herself wake up and looked around.  
  
"HOLY CRAP!" She yelled, covering herself with her arms. She was in a square pool, completely naked. Now DEFINATELY awake, she saw little demons that looked like animals, chopping vegetables and tending to fires. Barrels of vegetables, meat and fruit were everywhere there was space.  
  
'I'm in the kitchen!' She thought. Looking again, she saw a barrel full of skulls and bones. Panic began to rise up in her. 'I'm going to end up like that!' She began to go wade over to the edge of the pool nearest the door. 'No way in hell!' She thought. But as she got to the edge, some funny little monkey demons blocked her way, swishing huge butcher knives.  
  
Then was a loud thump on the door. Then another.  
  
"Kagome!" She heard Inuyasha yell. A wave of relief washed over her. "Inuyasha!" She yelled back, unable to hide her smile.  
  
The door came crashing down onto the monkey-demons and Inuyasha stepped in, streaked with blood and fully human.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, full of happiness. Inuyasha smirked, then stared at her, blushing madly. Kagome gave him a quizzical look, then realised that she was still naked. Quickly, she sat back down in the pool, trying to cover herself up with the water. Inuyasha turned around, still blushing.  
  
'She's alive!' He thought and suddenly, nothing else mattered, so long as Kagome was Okay.  
  
"Hey." She said, coming up behind him. "You're all bloody!"  
  
Snapping out of the 'nothing-else-matters-except-for-Kagome' mood, he suddenly felt very strong and important.  
  
"Feh." He said, taking off the top layer of his haori. "Just a load of scratches." He handed it to Kagome. "Put it on. No matter how disgusted you are by the blood."  
  
There was an awkward silence as Kagome brought up to her chest.  
  
"I'm not disgusted by your blood Inuyasha." She whispered softly.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^  
  
The Peach Man slowly walked down the stone steps. He was no longer fat and rubbery, he was almost like stone. His skin was hard and going off in all angles and layers. He now had fangs and his eyes were wide. He grinned like a mad hatter, fuelled on by his hate.  
  
"You shouldn't have dripped so much blood." He said to himself as he followed the drops made by Inuyasha. "Where ever you run, hanyou, I'll find you."  
  
Inuyasha rested on a long set of stairs, his eyes closed and his arm resting on his knee. After a few minutes, Kagome came down the stairs, a candle in her hand.  
  
"I'm sorry." She said. "It's still pitch-black outside."  
  
Miroku, Sango and Shippou stuck their heads out of Inuyasha's sleeve. "He's badly injured, Kagome." Miroku said.  
  
"I've found a place where I think we can get outside." Kagome said. "Can you walk Inuyasha?"  
  
"It's still pitch black outside?" Inuyasha asked, not really to anyone.  
  
Kagome knelt down by Inuyasha; her eyes were full of worry. "Inuyasha, we have to keep running until your demon powers come back." She said.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Is this the place you think we can escape from?" Inuyasha asked Kagome.  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
Inuyasha covered his face with his hand.  
  
"It won't work?"  
  
They were in a room that stuck out of the mountain. It was very high up.  
  
"Okay." Inuyasha started. "Here's what we'll do...."  
  
"No Way!" Kagome yelled. Inuyasha looked at her. "I haven't said anything yet!"  
  
"I know what you're gonna say." Kagome said crossly. "You're planning to let me go alone right? I repeat No Way!"  
  
Inuyasha stared at her for a few moments. True, that was what he was planning, but he wasn't gonna tell HER that.  
  
(Is someone there?)  
  
"Aaaaaaaah!" Kagome yelled, clinging onto Inuyasha's sleeve. (It has been such a long time, since I have heard the voice of another.)  
  
Sticking the lamp in front of her, Kagome saw a plant in the middle of the room: It was quite a big flower, with a very thick stalk and lots of billowing petals. In the middle of the flower, was the head of an old man with long white hair and a long white beard. Kagome knelt down beside the plant-man.  
  
"Um...where you devoured by The Peach Man sir?" She asked nervously.  
  
The plant-man lowered his head. (I erred badly in teaching such a fellow my tricks.)  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened. Kagome gave a slight gasp.  
  
"You mean YOU'RE the real hermit master?!" Asked Kagome.  
  
(Alas, yes, and mentor to The Peach Man.)  
  
Suddenly, Inuyasha had the flower by the stalk. "Why you--!"  
  
"Inuyasha wait!" Kagome interrupted.  
  
"Do you know what you've DONE fool?" Inuyasha continued yelling. "Teaching the powers of a hermit to a man-eating demon!!"  
  
(But) The plant-man said quietly. (The Peach Man is not a demon.)  
  
Inuyasha loosened his grip on the stalk.  
  
(He came to me as a mortal--)  
  
CRASH!  
  
The Peach Man came barging into the room, his stick by his side, grinning wickedly.  
  
"Heh heh heh, I see you've gotten all the way here!" He cackled.  
  
"THIS THING USED TO BE A HUMAN?!" Inuyasha shouted at the plant-man, seeing The Peach Man's new stone-like body. "YOU THINK I'M AN IDIOT?!"  
  
Miroku climbed over Inuyasha's shoulder. "It IS possible for a human to transform into a demon you know." He squeaked. "If the evil within him is strong enough."  
  
The Peach Man swung his great stone hand, cutting Inuyasha's back as he sent the hanyou flying across the floor.  
  
Inuyasha struggled to get up as The Peach Man lumbered closer to him.  
  
"See?" He laughed. "Humans are worthless. They're born helpless, spend their lives doing someone else's work in the mud. And then they die!" The Peach Man's face became shadowed. "My Mother and Father died living like that. I promised myself I ever would. So that's why I apprenticed myself to that RIDICULOUS hermit master." He glowered at the plant. "But after years, he'd only taught me a few basic spells. So when he wasn't around, I took a peek at his scrolls. And learned that the fastest way to learn magic is to devour the flesh of one who has already mastered it!" He paused. "However, the final spell for the elixir of youth and longevity still remains inside his withered skull. That's why I'm letting his head live on!"  
  
Groaning, Inuyasha managed to get up, balancing himself on the balls of his feet.  
  
"I am a half-demon." He said calmly. "And I have the frailty of the human part of me. I can sympathize with you wanting to be stronger."  
  
Inuyasha raised his head proudly. "BUT THIS ONLY PROVES YOUR WEAKNESS!" He lunged at The Peach Man, missing him by a few inches. He turned round instinctively, grabbing a pot of bones and throwing them at the demon, then he went in for the attack, only to be stopped by The Peach Man grabbing his clothes and throwing the hanyou into a large pot, smashing it. A whole bunch of heads and what looked like water.  
  
(Take a sip of that elixir.) The Hermit urged Inuyasha.  
  
"Wha?!"  
  
(That is the copycat elixir of youth and longevity that The Peach Man has distilled, however, it possesses the power to at least heal your wounds. If you want to be saved, drink it!)  
  
The Peach Man laughed again. "It'll be more fun, if you fight back a little."  
  
"Feh." Inuyasha spat. He slowly got up to his feet, his determination redoubled. He clenched his fists as glared at The Peach Man.  
  
"You think I'd drink that swill? After all, anything YOU created..." His face became angry. "Might make me more like YOU!"  
  
Kagome watched in awe as Inuyasha stood up to the fat, cannibalistic demon- man.  
  
"You're gonna regret not being me!"  
  
Inuyasha ran to The Peach Man, his hands outstretched, yelling an insane battle cry. The Peach Man merely scoffed and swatted Inuyasha out of the way.  
  
He landed near the window, clutching his arm. 'It's broken!' He thought.  
  
Kagome looked on, completely helpless.  
  
(Please.) She heard the hermit say. (Avenge the ones who were devoured.) And with that, the petals fell off and the hermit-flower transformed himself to become a bow and arrow.  
  
'He sacrificed himself!' Kagome thought.  
  
The Peach Man had lifted Inuyasha into a vice-like grip, threatening Inuyasha with all sorts of terrible punishments when he felt a stinging in his back; the force pushed him forward a little. Turning round, he saw Kagome with a wooden bow. Inuyasha saw his chance and pulled The Peach Man as hard as he could. Not being able to keep his balance, The Peach Man stumbled forwards and fell out of the large hole where the window used to be. At the last second, The Peach Man grabbed a hold of Inuyasha and dragged him along for the fall.  
  
Rushing to the window, Kagome could hardly contain herself as she watched Inuyasha fall gracefully to this death.  
  
"INUYASHAAAAAAAAAAAA!" She yelled, even though it wouldn't do any good.  
  
Inuyasha opened his eyes as he watched the shaking form of Kagome get smaller and smaller.  
  
"I told you." The Peach Man growled in triumph as he fell. "You're gonna die!"  
  
"M...maybe." Was all Inuyasha could say. 'But as long as Kagome's alive!'  
  
Kagome watched as Inuyasha fell into oblivion, the darkness swallowed him up as she sat there, shaking violently, calling his name over and over again. Tears began to flow from her eyes.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It was morning. Miroku, Sango and Shippou had been returned to their normal height. They walked slowly and quietly down the mountain, towards the peach tree that they had seen when they first came to the mountain. Lying next to it was The Peach Man's body, covered in blood.  
  
"Well, the Peach Man's dead." Sango said quietly.  
  
"Where's Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. Everyone looked at dead body.  
  
"We must rescue him!" Miroku said, sticking his staff under The Peach Man's body, Shippou and Sango joined in, trying to roll over the large body.  
  
"Uhhhh, he's heavy!" Shippou whined. Kagome walked to the tree. 'Please be alive Inuyasha!'  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Inuyasha's eye popped open. He was lying upside-down on the peach tree. 'Morning huh?' He thought. His hair was silver again and his claws had retuned.  
  
'Blast it.' He thought, rubbing his arm. 'If my demon powers had returned a little earlier-'  
  
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" He heard Shippou scream. "INUYASHA'S DEAD!"  
  
Inuyasha sat up and looked over the branches. The group was gathered around The Peach Man's body.  
  
"No!" Kagome protested. "H-he couldn't be!"  
  
Shippou continued to bawl. "He was hurt badly! And he was in his human form! There's no way he could've survived!"  
  
"Let us pray for his soul together." Miroku said, bowing his head.  
  
"M-Miroku!" Kagome whimpered.  
  
"I doubt he had regrets." Miroku started in his best preachy voice. "For even though he sacrificed his life. He knew that he would be saving yours, Kagome."  
  
Inuyasha watched, a little put off by them mourning his death.  
  
"But I didn't want that..." Kagome said quietly. "I don't want him to..."  
  
Inuyasha leaned forward a bit. 'She's not even crying!'  
  
"He didn't have his demon powers, but he kept on fighting! YOU'RE AN IDIOT INUYASHA."  
  
"Yes, he was indeed a fool." Miroku agreed.  
  
"Inuyasha! You humongous idiot!" Shippou balled.  
  
"Er guys." Sango said, pointing to the sweat dropping Inuyasha.  
  
"You're alive!" Shippou said, jumping onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "But you can't be!"  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you." The hanyou replied casually. "You think I'd die from THAT?! Who's calling who and idiot here?!" He directed this at Kagome. She flinched, then turned her head to face Inuyasha.  
  
"How DARE you call me that?!" She yelled, she was fully crying and Inuyasha was taken aback. "Am I an idiot for caring about you?!"  
  
Inuyasha stepped up to her. "What do you-"  
  
"You were pushing yourself too hard!" She shouted, still crying.  
  
"We're all alive! Stop crying!" Inuyasha demanded.  
  
"I'm NOT crying!" Kagome wailed before falling onto her knees and crying some more. "I'm just so glad that you're alive!"  
  
'Well, at least she's not angry.' Inuyasha thought, attempting to comfort Kagome.  
  
"Look." Sango said, smiling. "The heads are turning into peaches!"  
  
Miroku stood next to her. "The Peach Man's spell has been broken. The people trapped in the garden are most likely to have been restored now too." He put his arm around Sango's shoulder, but it slipped and landed somewhere else that sure as hell wasn't Sango's shoulder.  
  
SLAP.  
  
"Miroku! You perverted monk!"  
  
"I...I didn't mean it! Honest!"  
  
"Well then." Shippou said jumping up and down. "Let's get going!"  
  
So the group carried on their not-so amazing journey to Kyoto. And thus, The Peach Man's spells were broken and the mountain lived in peace.  
  
-Closes book- and that was why I took so long getting a pint of milk.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
OWWWWWWWW! My hands REALLY HURT! That was one LONG chapter! It took me two days! Owowowowow!  
  
Anyway, I've been addicted to two comics these few months, the first is 'Mars', gotta love that Rei! And the second is 'Karekano.' AND I've also joined up for self defence lessons! I'm very unfit!  
  
Annnnnyhoo, I was thinking. When a certain RaDiCaL EdWaRd17 -points at no one in particular- told me that fringes were called bangs, I started thinkin', where is everyone from? And what do you call stuff? I am, of course, from the U.K., (you CANNOT get any decent anime/manga stuff in this stupid country!) and I say mum, and I think that Americans call a tap a faucet cos I once had this Donald Duck book about him cooking in the kitchen and at the end it had pictures saying 'fridge' 'sink' 'faucet'. And instead of grades, we have years so I would be in 9th grade, which is year 10! So fun! I wonder if any boys read my stories. I don't know, cos I suppose my stories ARE kind of girl-like stories. Hmmmm. Anywayz review and tell me where you're from and what you think. No flames, only constructive criticism.  
  
Ja Ne!  
  
Sakura Clover 


	17. Scroll 17

Chapter 17-Sango's story  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
After the -ahem- accident with The Peach Man, the group continued on their not-so-amazing journey. They had been travelling for a few days now and living on berries and any food that was in the empty houses.  
  
It was on the third day that Sango began to get more and more excited. She would smile a lot and hum to herself. She was even nice to Miroku.  
  
"Ok," Kagome said, putting her hands on her hips. "What's the matter with you Sango? Have you been on the caffeine again?"  
  
Sango's eyes widened and she pointed behind Kagome. "IT'S STILL THERE! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" And began running towards a large structure that, amazingly, everyone else failed to notice.  
  
It was some sort of village. With big pointed wooden pillars all around it as some sort of barrier. Some men on the watchtowers began shouting to Sango as she ran up to the village, laughing and skipping.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
When everyone was FINALLY at the entrance they saw that it was, indeed, a village, with houses and people and shops! (Ok, I really can't be bothered to write today!)  
  
A small boy, around twelve years old with little freckles and a short, black ponytail, came running up to Sango, he was also laughing. They embraced each other and fell on the floor. The group just watched in awe.  
  
"Sango! Where have you been?! It's been so long!" The little boy laughed, almost crying at the same time.  
  
"Kohaku!" (Haku? Someone say HAKU?!) Sango said, tears also coming out of her eyes. "You've grown so much!" They laughed and laughed and laughed until a small cat-like animal came leaping up to Sango, mewing and wagging its two tails.  
  
"KIRARA!" Sango yelled with happiness as the bundle of fur fell into her outstretched arms.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
So after all the pleasantries and screams of 'SANGO!' were over, the group all rested at Sango's house.  
  
"So Sango," Kagome said after finishing a big bowl of Oden. "This is where you're originally from?"  
  
Sango nodded. "When I was eleven, my father decided that I should get an education, so he sent me to live with Kaede san. Then I went to school and met you!"  
  
"This village is weird." Inuyasha said, bluntly. "It isn't any normal village."  
  
Sango giggled. "That's 'cos everyone here is a demon exterminator!" She said with glee.  
  
"We go around and exterminate any demon for a low, low price!"  
  
"You mean there's a whole village of people like YOU?" Miroku asked, astounded.  
  
Sango gave him a cheeky, almost flirty grin and nodded. She was obviously REALLY happy at being back in her hometown.  
  
"And guess what sis?" Kohaku chimed in, the happiness even more evident in him than it was in Sango. "I'm going on my FIRST demon exterminating tomorrow!"  
  
"That's GREAT!" Sango shouted with glee as she and Kohaku got up and danced around the room.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^  
  
"You guys look sooo cute!" Kagome squeaked as Sango and Kohaku came out of the house wearing identical suits. The suits were black, with some sort of decoration on the shoulders and they were wearing scary looking mouth- guards. Both Sango and Kohaku had their hair up in ponytails.  
  
Kagome was blushing at the cuteness of it all; Shippou was resting on her shoulder, smiling widely. Miroku was looking lustily at Sango while Inuyasha had his arms folded in his Haori and was looking away from the scene.  
  
Kohaku blushed furiously at Kagome's comment, showing his freckles even more.  
  
"T...thank you miss Kagome." He stuttered. Sango raised an all-knowing eyebrow at her brother and smiled.  
  
"Well, it's almost time for us to go!" Sango said as she picked up her Boomerang bone.  
  
"Want me to come with?" Kagome asked, getting up off the front porch of Sango's house.  
  
Kohaku looked up expectantly at Sango.  
  
"Well, if you like icky demons who spit venom and goo all over you sure!" Sango said enthusiastically.  
  
Kagome sat back down on the porch. "I think I'll stay here."  
  
Kohaku looked kind of upset.  
  
"Go look around the village!" Sango said. "Get to know my wonderful place a bit more!"  
  
"I think I will." Kagome said, clutching her stomach.  
  
"Well then, it's time for me and Kohaku to exterminate that demoooooon!" Sango punched her fists in the air and ran for the exit of the village, waving her hand.  
  
"Yeah...." Kohaku said, grabbing his weapon. Two sharp blades on each end of a thick chain. He turned to leave when Kagome called out to him.  
  
"Good luck on your first demon extermination!" She said, kissing him lightly on the cheek.  
  
Kohaku nearly dropped his weapon in surprise. Now with a face a tomato would be jealous of, he ran to catch up with his sister. Also waving a hand goodbye.  
  
"Well! Let's go explore!" Kagome said, stretching. She turned to Inuyasha.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" She asked when she saw his sour, angry looking face pointed directly at her. He straightened up when she spoke to him and looked away, his face still angry.  
  
"Nothing WENCH!" He spat as he walked off into the village.  
  
Kagome stared after him, confusion on her face. "What's HIS problem?" She asked no one in particular.  
  
"Aaaaah jealously is a dangerous thing sometimes." Miroku said sagely as he too got up and walked off into the distance, Shippou leaped off of Kagome's shoulder and followed the Monk, leaving Kagome standing by herself, completely dazed.  
  
"WHAT JEALOUSY?!"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It was almost nightfall by the time the exterminators got to the house where the demon was terrorising. It was obviously a rich man's house, big and with many rooms, it looked like an ancient house but with lots of modern architect stuffed in at the same time. Screen doors and normal doors, futons and beds, a telephone and an ancient stove. It was very weird.  
  
Sango, Kohaku, two other exterminators and Sango's father, a middle aged man with a broad chest and worn features waited in the courtyard in the middle of the house, the Lord of the manor sitting on a chair, drinking.  
  
"Night after night," The Lord told them. "A giant demon spider comes into the house and attacks anyone it sees. Many people have already been killed." He seemed unusually calm about all of it. The wind whistled and the trees swayed. It was eerie.  
  
Sango's father bowed low. "We will destroy the demon for you sir." He said sternly. Failure was not an option.  
  
Kohaku looked nervously around him. Everything was dark and scary, almost like being in a graveyard. He felt a small nudge to his left arm and turned his head. Sango was smiling warmly at him, even though her mouth was covered, her eyes showed her gentleness and caring towards her brother. "It'll be all right." She whispered to him. He nodded his appreciation and looked dead ahead.  
  
Suddenly, the sky started to rumble and dark clouds gathered over the courtyard and the assembled party. In the middle of the clouds a large, furry head appeared. It had large round eyes and giant fangs. Two legs followed the head and a full demon spider came scuttling out of the storm, grinning evilly and spitting and hissing.  
  
Sango's father was the first to take action, he ran towards it and signalled for the other exterminators to do the same.  
  
"Surround it!" He yelled.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Kagome had caught up with Miroku and Shippou outside the village, playing at the little stream; Inuyasha had joined them a little later, still annoyed at Kagome.  
  
So after the VERY quick game of 'Inuyasha needs to lighten up, let's attack him with water,' and the long game of 'people need to mind their own business, I'll attack them full on with water and insults,' the gang sat down, wet and weary. Miroku looked up at the sky and frowned.  
  
"An ominous wind." He said. "What could it mean?"  
  
A small, white dot in the distance began to get bigger and bigger. It was going straight towards the village. Then it got so big, the gang could see a whole bunch of demons, some looked human, some looked like demons. They were whooping and yelling battle cries as they raced on toward the unsuspecting village.  
  
Kagome gasped and got up as fast as lightening. "We gotta warn the village!" She shouted desperately.  
  
Nodding, Miroku stood up and ran with Kagome. Grunting, Inuyasha also stood up and began to run towards the village.  
  
"Heeeeeey! Waiiiiiiit!" Shippou shouted, his arms outstretched and running as fast as he could, which wasn't very fast at all. He stopped a few paces from the place where everyone had been sitting and gasped for breath. "Why I am always the one left behind?" He moaned to himself.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"BOOMERANG BONE!"  
  
The spider was cut badly while the other exterminators looked on in awe. Then they jumped on the spider and poised their weapons.  
  
"And now for the death blow!" One of the exterminators said, about to take the plunge.  
  
Before anyone realized what was happening, the heads of the two exterminators came off and rolled along the floor. Sango turned around and saw Kohaku's weapon lodged in their father's chest.  
  
"F...father!" Sango shouted, running to him. The blade easily slid out of the man and he fell onto the floor. Dead.  
  
"T...the exterminators! What is happening?!" One of the Lords servants cried out. The Lord merely took another sip of his drink. "How interesting." He said. "Let them play."  
  
Sango looked desperately at her younger brother. His eyes were dark, devoid of any emotion and his weapon was poised above his head, ready to strike.  
  
"Kohaku!" Sango pleaded. "Do you not know me? It's Sango! You just killed our father!"  
  
But Kohaku wasn't listening. He charged at Sango with lightening speed and flung a sharp and deadly blade at her. It missed by inches, cutting her mouth-guard, making it fall onto the floor.  
  
"Kohaku! It' Sango! Your sister!"  
  
He threw the blades at her again, but she unsheathed her sword and managed to block them. The chain of Kohaku's weapon wrapped around her and her brother as they struggled.  
  
"Please Kohaku!" Sango begged, their faces so close they were almost touching.  
  
That was when Sango saw it.  
  
A small spider was weaving it's silk on the side of Kohaku's neck, controlling him. She turned her towards the Lord and saw a spider demon in his body, grinning, if that was what it was called, at the scenario.  
  
Anger ran through Sango's body and mind as she flung Kohaku onto the ground and charged at the Spider demon.  
  
"It's YOU!" She screamed.  
  
"She's gone mad." The Lord/spider demon said calmly to the servants. "Kill her."  
  
With that, they let their arrows fly, striking Sango in the arms and stomach. As she balanced herself, she felt an indescribable pain in her back. Kohaku's blade had found its way into her back and stayed there. Sango's eye widened as she fell slowly to the hard ground.  
  
"Sister..." She heard Kohaku whimper. Turning her head, she saw Kohaku, falling onto his knees, shaking violently. He took off his mouth-guard and looked towards Sango, tears in his eyes.  
  
"Oh Sango!" He cried, running towards her. Within an inch of Sango, arrows going into him pushed him back. He fell onto his back, his eyes were drooping and blood ran from his mouth.  
  
Using all of her strength, Sango crawled to her little bother. 'This isn't happening, this CAN'T be happening.' She thought over and over.  
  
Kohaku was shaking even more violently, his eyes were now getting cloudy and tears mingled with blood were running down his face.  
  
"Sango...sister, I'm scared." He said quietly, his voice shaking as much as he was.  
  
Sango curled her arms around her brother's cold body and pressed her cheek against his.  
  
"It's OK Kohaku." She said soothingly, even though she too was shaking. "I'm here...I'm right here...."  
  
Another arrow flew into Sango's back and she tensed at the pain.  
  
"Ah peace in the family, how heart warming." The Lord chuckled. His servants looked at him confusedly.  
  
Then, with a great 'SWISH' the head of the Lord flew off the body and onto the wooden floor. Turning around, the servants saw the Lord's only son, a tall, handsome looking boy with long dark hair and a serious face, with a sword covered in blood.  
  
"Young master!" One of them said, astounded. "You have killed the Lord-"  
  
"That is not my father." The boy interrupted calmly. "Look closer."  
  
And sure enough, the head turned into a black spider, which the boy crushed immediately.  
  
"I knew my father would never behave like that. I knew he must be possessed." He turned to the bodies of Sango and Kohaku.  
  
"Bury them in the garden, it's the least we can do." *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
OK I'm stopping there! AHAHAHAHAHA! I'm ALIIIIIIIIIIIVE! Plus I don't have the graphic novel that follows this one. So the next chapter will be made up on the spot! (Like the rest of the chapters weren't?!) For some annoying reason, I really couldn't be bothered to write another chapter, so it's probably not as good as the other because I seriously couldn't be bothered. Is this the end of No More Words? What do I look like? A fortuneteller?  
  
My thanks to Anandria (did I spell that right?) who told me all about the grading system in America. It sounds complicated!  
  
In England, we have upper school and lower school. When you go to high school, from years 7-9 you're in lower school and from 9-11 you're in upper school! And we have a dress code too which sucks but it's not like skirts and long socks oh goodness no, it's black trousers and a white polo shirt.  
  
Anyway, now I know a little more about the country called America. But now I'm a little afraid to go there as I've just seen 'Bowling For Columbine.' I tell ya, that's some freaky stuff. PLUS, my brother has the book 'Stupid White Men.'  
  
Anyone wanna move to Canada with me?!  
  
Sakura Clover 


	18. Scroll 18

Chapter 18-Miroku and Inuyasha attempts of comforting people  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It was a dark night; the whole household was quiet as a small, cold wind blew through the small trees in the garden.  
  
In that garden, in a small corner, five mounds of earth were placed next to each other, with stones on top of them.  
  
A small bit of earth fell from one of the mounds, then another. Unless one was looking closely, they wouldn't have seen it. Then a huge pile of earth went shooting up and crashing back down, leaving a bloodied hand in its place. The hand grabbed onto the mound on which it had shot out of and pulled itself up. An arm followed the hand, then a shoulder and a head.  
  
Sango climbed her way out of her grave, her teeth gritted hard and her eyebrows knitted together in pure frustration and desperation. She heaved her body up and crawled out of the hole.  
  
"Curse it." She spat, anger evident on her face. "I will NOT die here."  
  
A handsome, dark, boy walked from behind a huge stone. His eyes widened when he saw the girl, covered in blood, sweat and mud, crawling out of her would-be grave.  
  
"Madame exterminator!" He exclaimed quietly. "You're alive!"  
  
Sango glared up at the boy, her eyes were dark, as she lay there on her stomach, speechless.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome was horrified. Sure she's seen this kind of stuff on T.V., but nothing prepared her for the real thing. Hundreds of dead bodies were strewn about the village, almost artistically. Some were human; some were demon and some you couldn't tell. The enormous spiked barriers had been destroyed and the fort was open to anyone. There was a horrible, eerie silence as the group slowly stepped into the ex-village.  
  
Kagome put a shaky hand over her mouth. Miroku and Shippou looked thoroughly depressed at the scene and Inuyasha was scanning the place, checking for movement. After finding none, he turned around to face Kagome. She was shaking and her eyes were wide.  
  
"They fought courageously." Miroku whispered. "Nearly everyone took a demon with them."  
  
Suddenly, Kagome's legs decided to fail her as she fell to the ground in shock. Inuyasha leapt to her aid and caught her just as she hit the ground. He put a comforting arm around her as she began to cry loudly.  
  
Shippou looked around and gasped. "Movement!" He cried pointing in front of him.  
  
Kirara came into view, a demon's head clenched tightly in its jaws. Instead of being the cute little cat youkai that the group had met when they first came to the village, Kirara was now at least six foot tall with huge fang and dark angry eyes. Seeing Sango's companions, it spat the head out onto the carpet of bodies and proceeded to turn back into its cute, chibi form with a whirl of flames.  
  
It looked sweetly at the group before quickly turning its eyes towards the entrance of the fort. A small figure was leaning against the wooden barriers.  
  
"Sango!" Kagome cried, getting up and running towards the figure. The others followed.  
  
Sango looked weary and completely tired. She looked up when she heard her name being called. Kagome stopped dead in her tracks, a few inches from Sango.  
  
"Sango chan, what's wrong?" She asked, seeing the anger and homicidal intent in Sango's face and eyes. Sango looked around at the carnage and death before letting out an ear-piercing scream and falling onto her knees.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
They had camped outside the fort for the night. Sango had reluctantly and quietly relayed the events of the extermination of the spider demon. After many tears and a whole lot of 'it's all my fault!' Sango ended up running into the bushes, followed by Miroku and Shippou, telling Kagome and Inuyasha to stay where they were.  
  
Inuyasha discreetly looked at Kagome. She was still sad from the death of all the villagers and Kohaku. "Kagome?" He asked nervously. "Daijoubu?"  
  
She turned to face him, her eyes still wet from where fresh tears had been falling.  
  
"Yeah." She said weakly. "I'm fine....fine."  
  
Inuyasha slowly slid along the ground to sit next to Kagome. Then, ever so carefully, he put his hands on her head and gently led her head onto his lap. She sighed, closing her eyes and falling into a deep sleep.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Miroku found Sango close to the fort. She was sitting by the broken entrance, her head in her hands. Shippou had gone in the other direction looking for Sango.  
  
Taking a big breath, Miroku quietly walked up to Sango.  
  
When Miroku's shadow loomed over her, Sango looked up. She still had the mud on her face and the blood on her hands. She basically looked a state. Sitting down next to her, Miroku fiddled with his prayer beads. After a huge awkward silence, Miroku finally gave a nervous cough.  
  
"I know...you've been through a lot Sango chan." He began. "And I can't even begin to understand your pain. But I just want you to know that we're here for you." He paused, avoiding eye contact. "I'm here for you."  
  
It wasn't exactly what he meant to say. It was supposed to have nice background music and they were supposed to share a kiss or something. But still, that's how it went. So, blushing, Miroku stood up, he didn't know how to make Sango feel better, so he decided that he probably shouldn't try incase it made her feel worse. He walked away, only to be stopped short by Sango holding onto his clothes. She was still sitting down and tears were still in her eyes but she smiled faintly.  
  
"Arigatou." She said, before bowing her head and crying. Miroku took his original position next to her and hugged her as hard as he could.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"So Kirara, is there a Mr. Kirara?" Shippou asked distracted. He was sitting in a tree with Kirara. He felt kind of left out. Inuyasha had Kagome, Miroku had Sango, but he didn't really have anyone. Sighing, he picked a leaf off of the tree and rolled it about in his small fingers. When he got bored of it, he let the leaf float gracefully to the ground.  
  
"Well, THIS is boring."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
They left early in the morning. Kagome had woken up in Inuyasha's arms, then Inuyasha had woken up and quickly pushed her off with a 'feh', then denied all accusations of actually caring about Kagome the night before.  
  
Sango had woken up with her head against Miroku's, which was snoring loudly. She gently woke him up and they made their way back to Inuyasha and Kagome.  
  
Shippou had woken up upside-down in the tree. He saw Kirara watching him amusedly as he thrashed and tugged, and then fell out of the tree, landing on his head.  
  
While Inuyasha and Miroku were getting ready, Kagome and Sango quickly made a wooden cross and put it by the entrance to the fort. After a minute of silence, Sango kissed the cross and, looking back once more, she made her way to the silent group and they continued on their journey.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
RIGHT! I'm soooo finished. Hey I actually updated quickly! HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Ok, it's late, but still. We only got two trick-or-treaters. We don't celebrate it as much as America and elderly people of people who didn't want kids knocking at their door, had signs saying 'no trick-or-treaters', because the elderly people were scared of the costumes the kids had! I didn't go out, I stayed at home eating the Haribo and watching 'The Halloween Tree'. I've only ever been trick or treating once. Oh well.  
  
My new addiction is...Teen Titans! Yaaaay, my brother HATES the theme song, but it's catchy! I have one of Puffy's albums. ^.^  
  
Yeah so that's my life!  
  
Oh yeah, I'm also trying to find the pop version of Beauty and The Beast! I can't find it! Who was it done by? Anyone?!  
  
Aaaaand HOW CAN YOU NOT OF HEARD OF BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE?! I wonder if it was released in the States. It's Michael Moore! Fat guy, exposes the American Government and Charlton Heston! FOR EXAMPLE-On the day of the Columbine Incident, America released the most amount of bombs on a country than ever before! Or something like that.  
  
Ah well, perhaps it's better that you haven't seen it. It's scaaaaary!  
  
See ya next time!  
  
Sakura Clover 


	19. Scroll 19

Chapter 19-The past of cute lil' kitsune Shippou.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"Ok men, keep on your guard. There could be youkai scum lurking around here anywhere."  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
"Oh My God! What the hell is that?!"  
  
"In your positions! Hurry!"  
  
"Ahahahahhaahahahhahaha!"  
  
"Youkai!"  
  
"What fun this will be! Shall we kill them instantly or let them die slowly?"  
  
"Allow me brother, to make the first strike!"  
  
"With pleasure!"  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"I'm sooooooo glad that the shop was completely deserted!" Inuyasha said with a mouth full of Ramen.  
  
The gang had been travelling for at least a month now; they were at least five days away from Kyoto.  
  
"Really?" Kagome said nonchantly. "I'm so glad for you."  
  
They were all sitting a few feet away from what had been a human massacre. The bodies were of a whole bunch of army men. The only way the could actually tell that was because the uniforms were the only thing not shredded into a millions pieces.  
  
"How can you EAT in a place like this?!" Shippou yelled at Inuyasha. He was half angry because Inuyasha had thumped him on the head when he had asked for some Ramen.  
  
Sango was still pretty upset at the death of all her village. Miroku had been doing his best to cheer her up and he ended up being the only one she ever really noticed. There were definitely sparks flying.  
  
As for Inuyasha and Kagome, Inuyasha refused straight out that he had ANY feelings for Kagome, whether they were good or bad, even though he was only telling himself that. No one really asked him if he liked Kagome apart from his head. So there was many a night where Inuyasha would lie awake in a tree and have long conversations with himself about why he shouldn't like Kagome.  
  
Shippou had been acting very strangely since they had decided to stop at the sight with the dead guys. He became agitated and very impatient. Especially when Inuyasha had confirmed that lightening had shocked some of the men. Even Kirara stopped going near him. They had become good friends since Kirara had joined them.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
The group decided to rest near the place with the bodies for the night. They had to keep on moving until Kagome was satisfied that she couldn't see any of the bodies.  
  
Half way through the night, a worried Shippou, shaking her almost violently, woke Kagome up.  
  
"What is it Shippou?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"I..I heard a sound in the bushes!" He whispered.  
  
Kagome sat up; she too had just heard some sort of cracking noise. Quiet as a mouse, she crawled over to where Inuyasha was spread out over the ground.  
  
"Inuyasha," She whispered, shaking him slightly. "Wake up."  
  
Inuyasha scratched his belly and turned over a bit. "Lemme play with the ball..." He mumbled.  
  
"Inuyasha." Kagome's voice was becoming desperate; the noise was slowly getting louder.  
  
A grin formed over Inuyasha's face. "Sure Kagome, I'll give you a back rub..."  
  
Before Kagome had time to react to this remark, a pair of hands flew silently out the bushes. One grabbed Kagome's mouth, stopping her from speaking; the other grabbed her waist and dragged her into the bushes.  
  
Shippou watched all of this in horror. He had to do something! Leaping into the bushes, he was thrown out 2 seconds after, unconscious.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Inuyasha woke up early, looked to his left and found that Kagome wasn't there.  
  
He looked in the bushes, he looked in the trees. He even looked under the rest of the group, waking them all up.  
  
"Have any of you seen Kagome?" He asked nonchantly as he searched around a tree for the third time. Suddenly, Shippou sprung up behind him, waving his arms and yelling.  
  
"They took her! They took her!" He yelled in Inuyasha's already sensitive ears.  
  
"Shutupshutupshutup!" Inuyasha shouted, covering his ears.  
  
Sango walked over and took Shippou into her arms.  
  
"Calm down Shippou," She said softly. "Now, what happened to Kagome?"  
  
Shippou took a few big gulps of air and began too speak slower and calmer.  
  
"The Thunder brothers took Kagome last night. I tried to do something but they knocked me out."  
  
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha suddenly yelled, yanking his hands away from his ears and headed straight for Shippou's throat.  
  
"You little twerp.....!"  
  
Miroku managed to grab Inuyasha's robes just as he was about to grab Shippou's neck.  
  
"Torturing Shippou won't help get Kagome back." He said sagely.  
  
"Could it be that Inuyasha DOES care about Kagome?" Sango asked sweetly.  
  
Inuyasha crossed his arms, an angry look on his face. "Of COURSE I don't, but she the Shikon No Tama, supposedly, so I need to know where she is at all times."  
  
Sango and Miroku exchanged knowing looks and turned to Shippou again.  
  
"Do you know what way they headed?" Miroku asked.  
  
Shippou pointed West. Sango smiled at the little kitsune and they began to make their way to where Shippou had pointed. Inuyasha was trailing slowly behind.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Kagome woke up and instantly realised that she was in danger. Sitting up, she saw that she was in a small, square room. A big black pot was bubbling in the corner next to her and an assortment of remedies and potions lay along the shelves that bordered the wall.  
  
Standing up, Kagome ran straight to the first door she saw, but was cut off by a body slowly lumbering into the room. It was definitely a male, but what it was, she wasn't sure about. It had a round head with two hairs sticking up at the front, it had almost serpent-like eyes, with big sharp teeth. It looked like a cross between a dragon and a turtle.  
  
"Aaaah, you're awake." It said, looking like it was trying to smile. It was clad in what looked like Samurai armour, with a fox's skin as a belt.  
  
Kagome inched back into her corner slowly. She stared at it evilly.  
  
"Are you planning to eat me?!" She asked.  
  
"Oh, no no no no no!" It chuckled. "But it is said that new hair THRIVES on the flesh of young maidens...So I'll boil you down and rub you on my head."  
  
Kagome stared at the huge creature, absolutely shocked. 'I think I'd rather be eaten!' She thought to herself.  
  
"No WAY I'm staying here!" Kagome announced as she stood up. The creature's eye widened in horror. "Shhhhh! You must be quiet or my brother will hear you and you'll be eaten!"  
  
In almost comical timing, the door to the room smashed open, leaving bits of wood all over the place.  
  
A man who looked no more than twenty stood where the door was, his arm in the air as if he'd just punched something. A semi-naked lady with snakes winding around her neck hung off his other arm, smirking.  
  
The man's hair was jet black, going into a long plait, his eyes were blood red with slits instead of pupils. He too, was wearing what appeared to be shredded Samurai armour with cloth twisting around his body.  
  
"Manten brother!" He bellowed. "I did not expect you here!"  
  
The lady next to him scoffed. "That's your brother huh? Little resemblance is there?"  
  
"Hiten!" Manten, the creature's name, wheezed, trying to cover up Kagome. "Older brother! I...I..."  
  
Hiten's red eyes immediately darted to Kagome, he raised his eyebrow. "A girl Manten?" He questioned.  
  
"She....She is my prey!" Manten protested, getting in front of Kagome again.  
  
"Fear not, dear brother, I will not claim her." He lay his arm back on the women affectionately. "I have my own prize." The woman smiled evilly, relishing in Hiten's compliments. He turned back to his brother.  
  
"So, have you had any luck in finding the Shikon jewel dear brother?" He asked.  
  
Manten looked scared and said nothing. Hiten's smile slowly became a frown, then a growl.  
  
"You have not FOUND IT?!" He yelled, smashing his fist into the woman's face, pushing it straight through. Manten got onto his knees.  
  
"You are such a WASTE!" Hiten scolded as Manten begged for forgiveness.  
  
'He may look more human, but he's also worse!" Kagome thought as she watched the scene.  
  
Suddenly, Hiten's anger subsided and he smiled again. "Ah, we shall find it brother. In the mean time, I do believe you have a girl to be boiling!"  
  
As Manten lumbered towards Kagome, a sudden thought struck her.  
  
"Wait!" She commanded, holding up her hand in front of the creature. "I know who has the jewel!"  
  
Both brothers stopped, eyeing her suspiciously. "Who?" Hiten finally asked.  
  
'Heh, I've got their attention.' Kagome thought.  
  
"Have you heard of Inuyasha?" She asked coldly. The brothers looked at each other. "Him?" Hiten scoffed. "He is only half demon."  
  
"But he IS powerful." Kagome corrected. "He's already had the jewel for more than 50 years, fighting off other demons for it."  
  
"Child, if this should be a lie..." Manten warned. Kagome looked away. "Feh." She said.  
  
"The thing is..." Kagome turned to look at them again, her eyes glinting.  
  
"Inuyasha's in LOVE with me." She watched their reactions as their eyes widened and their mouths dropped.  
  
"I'm sure he'll exchange the jewel for me."  
  
Hiten grabbed Kagome forcefully by her shirt. "If you're deceiving us, you can expect to find a wind hole in that face of yours!" He threatened, his fangs showing.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"We're almost there!" Shippou shouted as the group made their way towards a looming mountain.  
  
"I didn't know there were so many looming mountains in Japan!" Miroku said to Sango, as they got closer.  
  
"What gets me is why these demons HAVE to live in mountains. Why can't they just live in houses like NORMAL people?"  
  
Miroku nodded his agreement. He and Sango had gotten very close since Sango's village all died, and he was intending to keep it that close.  
  
Suddenly, a big black cloud came floating down from the very top of the mountain, while they were all staring dumbly at it, a huge bolt of lightning shot out from nowhere, Inuyasha dodged and it struck where he had previously been.  
  
"So, you dodged it eh?" Hiten came flying down, a spear in his hand, smiling wickedly. "Are you the one called Inuyasha?" He asked rudely.  
  
"Yeah, what do you want?" Inuyasha answered rudely back.  
  
"I do believe we have something of yours." Manten came floating in to view, holding Kagome's arms tightly.  
  
"Inuyasha!" She shouted, looking surprised and happy.  
  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted back, sounding desperate and almost scared.  
  
"So, the tale is true." Hiten chuckled. "Give me the Shikon no Tama and your love shall live!"  
  
Inuyasha looked at Hiten with dots for eyes. Kagome closed her eyes, like she was stressed and sighed.  
  
"W...what?" Inuyasha squeaked. Hiten and Manten turned to Kagome.  
  
"So you lied eh?"  
  
"Eep." Was Kagome reply.  
  
"Oh, for God's sake!" Inuyasha said and lunged at Hiten, who dodged. In the sudden attack, Kagome leapt from the cloud.  
  
"Who said I was in LOVE with you?!" Inuyasha shouted at Kagome, while fighting with Hiten.  
  
"I had to say SOMETHING to keep myself alive!" Kagome shouted back as she began to run away from Manten.  
  
"But why THAT?!"  
  
"Why are you acting like a school boy?!"  
  
"Who would give up the jewel for you?!!!!"  
  
"So you were just gonna leave me to-"  
  
"LEAVE?! How can I LEAVE when we've never been TOGETHER?!"  
  
A blast from Manten stopped the argument, causing Kagome to roll along the ground. Miroku and Sango, who dragged her into a small hole where they were hiding, then grabbed her.  
  
"Who ARE those guys?" Sango asked, checking Kagome for wounds.  
  
"And what's gonna happen in the next episode of Kagome and Inuyasha's love affair?" Miroku asked himself. Kagome hit him on the head.  
  
"They're the Thunder Brothers." Shippou said quietly, popping up from nowhere. "You see the kitsune skin around Manten? That's my papa. Manten blasted him." Shippou sniffed and Kagome cuddled him.  
  
"Well, we can't just sit here! Inuyasha's alone!"  
  
"But they're too powerful!" Shippou protested.  
  
"Come on, we can do this!" Kagome looked at Miroku and Sango for support, they nodded.  
  
"Let's go then!" Kagome yelled, jumping out the hole, the others followed, yelling and whooping.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Continue on, my pretties. Don't forget to review! 


	20. Scroll 20

Chapter 20-Seperation.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*  
  
Inuyasha felt his heart rise and sink at the same time when he saw the group rush out from the hole he EXPRESSLY told them to hide in. He was happy that they were coming to fight by his side, but he was sad because they were in very real danger and, even though he never showed it, he was worried about all of them.  
  
Including Kagome.  
  
Yes, he decided a while ago that he was most probably in love with Kagome and after the Sango incident; he decided that he WAS in love with her. So you can imagine how happy he felt that Kagome told the Thunder Brothers about how much he was in love with her. He was quite touched that she said that and was secretly smiling like a child. Then Hiten and his lightning bolts ruined it ALL. So now, he was deeply immersed in a game of dodging the deadly lightning while trying to slash Hiten game.  
  
Sango went straight for Manten, throwing her Boomerang bone and Kirara, who had been sleeping snugly in a pouch tied to Sango, came blazing out, full size and roaring like a lion. Miroku opened up his Kazaana and aimed it at Hiten, throwing his concentration with Inuyasha, letting Inuyasha have the upper hand. Shippou and Kagome began on Manten as well.  
  
While Miroku distracted Hiten, Inuyasha threw the Tetsusaiga at the demon, but Hiten dodged by an inch. The blade flew through the air and landed on Manten's head, going straight through.  
  
Suddenly the battle stopped as everyone stared at the dead Manten. Hiten's eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he rushed to his brother's side.  
  
"Manten! Manten! MANTEN!" He cried, shaking his brother, tears streaming down his face. He clutched the dead Manten to his chest and let out an ear- piercing scream. Still crying uncontrollably, he stuck his hand into his brother's chest and drew out his heart.  
  
"My sweet Manten, my beautiful Manten." He wailed in-between sobs. Then, he began to eat Manten's heart, still wailing and crying.  
  
"He's absorbing his brother's powers!" Shippou gasped as they all watched in awe and horror.  
  
Then Hiten stood up, blood dripping from his mouth and a look of shear hatred on his face. He looked like something from hell as he glared at the group.  
  
"My Manten, my only is dead." He spat. "I will NOT let this pass."  
  
Without warning, he let out a huge bolt of thunder. It ripped along the ground, causing a massive hole.  
  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, dodging the attack. "Get Shippou and run!"  
  
Kagome nodded, and, picking up Shippou, she headed in the opposite direction of the battle.  
  
"Come on Inuyasha!" Miroku yelled, sweat dripping down his face. "We can do this!"  
  
But every attack, Hiten dodged, and every attempt to slash him, he avoided. His fury was redoubled as he slashed and hacked, but he was also missing his target, it seemed like they were all evenly matched.  
  
Half way through running away, Shippou started. "My father's pelt!"  
  
Kagome looked back, everyone was involved in trying to kill the last Thunder brother and the Thunder brother was involved in trying to kill everyone else.  
  
Kagome turned sharply and ran as fast as she could towards Manten's body, her heart pumping away like it was going to burst.  
  
She reached the body undetected; she hacked at the pelt, trying desperately to undo it. Shippou helped out, shaking like a leaf, constantly looking over his shoulder and whispering to hurry up. The pelt finally came undone and Kagome bolted away from the battle with Shippou clinging to her shoulder.  
  
Hiten saw movement in the corner of his eye. He instantly turned his head and let out the power of the thunder, which his brother had previously owned.  
  
Inuyasha had about two seconds to scream out Kagome's name as she turned her head towards the oncoming attack. Everything slowed down as the bolt got closer and closer to its target. Kagome's mouth opened but nothing came out. The bolt hit directly and the last thing Inuyasha saw was Kagome being swept upwards, trying to hold onto Shippou, her eyes looking distant and her mouth calling his name.  
  
Inuyasha was angry.  
  
Inuyasha was pissed.  
  
Screw that, he was bloody homicidal.  
  
Not even Hiten's sorrow and anger could add up to Inuyasha's. His eyes became flared, his teeth were gritted, and his muscle's were tensed. He swung at Hiten with his bare fist, hitting him square in the jaw. Hiten looked at him in shock as Inuyasha swung again and again, each time hitting Hiten harder and harder.  
  
"No one has DARED-!" Hiten managed to say before another punch landed on his face.  
  
Miroku and Sango looked on as Inuyasha used his bare hands to attack Hiten. They knew they weren't needed anymore in this battle. It was still flaming where Kagome and Shippou had been hit, Miroku put a comforting arm around Sango as she began to sob.  
  
Hiten was sprawled on the ground. His face was bloody and bruised as Inuyasha stood over him.  
  
"Heh," Hiten choked, blood flying from his mouth. "Are you upset now Hanyou? I killed your little wench. Are you sad now? Lost without your little human girl."  
  
"AND WHAT OF IT?!" Inuyasha yelled so loud that Miroku thought his ears were gonna burst.  
  
Slowly, Inuyasha drew his Tetsusaiga, holding it over Hiten. The demon's pupils went down drastically as Inuyasha threw the blade into his neck, making sure to twist it around, causing as much pain as he could, he took it out, and thrust it back into Hiten, he then repeated the process, getting faster and faster, cursing and shouting inaudible things and he continued to stab and the dead body. It was only when Sango put a hand on his shoulder did Inuyasha stop. He snatched it away and walked to the sight where Kagome and Shippou had been blasted. He hung he head.  
  
"Inuyasha."  
  
He instantly snapped it back up, to come face-to-face with Kagome. She and Shippou were covered in blue flames, the pelt of Shippou's father floated around.  
  
"K-Kagome." Inuyasha whispered softly.  
  
"Thank you, Inuyasha." Kagome said, her eyes softening.  
  
"Yeah," Shippou chimed in. "My Daddy's soul can rest in peace now."  
  
A big gust of wind blew Kagome's hair up, about to take them to the world beyond.  
  
Inuyasha leapt to Kagome. "No! Wait! You can't go!" 'I have to tell her!' Was all he could think of.  
  
He grabbed Kagome's hand as the flames and the pelt flew into the sky. The wind died down, leaving Kagome and Shippou standing there with Inuyasha clutching Kagome's hand desperately and looking into her eyes. He blinked.  
  
"What do you mean 'don't go?'" She asked him, shocked at his sudden desperation to have her stay.  
  
He looked down at their intertwined hands and immediately ripped his away, frowning and blushing furiously.  
  
"Papa, he protected us with his foxfire." Shippou whispered, looking into the distance.  
  
"Can't you tell foxfire when you see it Inuyasha?" Miroku asked, smirking like a true pervert.  
  
Inuyasha stomped off. "You're ALL lying idiots!" He shouted, not looking back.  
  
They all followed him, smirking and raising eyebrows, except for Kagome, who was confused as hell.  
  
A little while on, the ground began to rumble, then shake. The group looked down uncertainly and the shaking got bigger.  
  
"EEEEEEARTHQUAKE!" Shippou yelled, jumping about.  
  
The ground began to give way and open up. Inuyasha leapt back to the group as they stumbled about.  
  
"It's like The Land Before Time!" Miroku shouted over the roaring of the ground opening up.  
  
A huge slit went under Kagome's legs and opened up immediately. She screamed and she went plummeting down, only to be caught by Inuyasha. He grabbed the edge of the ground and forced himself and Kagome up. Turning around, Kagome saw that she and Inuyasha were on one side while Miroku, Sango and Shippou were on the other, and it was rising as Kagome's falling.  
  
When the shaking finally stopped, Kagome and Inuyasha were at least twenty feet below the others with a fifty feet gap.  
  
"This is DEFINITELY like the Land Before Time!" Miroku shouted down at the two, he was faint, but still audible.  
  
"You guys keep on going!" Kagome urged. "We'll find a way across! Go now!"  
  
Reluctantly, the three left the edge of the cliff and disappeared from sight.  
  
Sighing, Kagome turned to Inuyasha. "Well, looks like it's just you and me again." She said heartily and began to walk along the edge of the cliff.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
My back huuuuuuuuurts. I didn't know how stressful Christmas could be! So many times I've had to go shopping! But I think I've got everybody what they wanted. ^.^  
  
I'm sorry I took so long. I couldn't really be bothered with it. It's taken me ages because I'd type some, then give up!  
  
So what's everyone getting for Christmas? I'm getting a new stereo (yay!) a Hello Kitty clock, cos I can't get up! A calendar and I think I have a hair straightener! I'm quite please as I got quite a few presents this year! I never used to have loads like other people, cos we could never afford it! But this year, I have the most! Mwahahahahahahha. My new addiction is Karekano.  
  
Please leave reviews as they make me happy! Even if you've already done it! I like long reviews too! And funny ones! Hey, I'm not picky, just review!  
  
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2004!  
  
Lotsa luuurv  
  
Sakura Clover 


	21. Scroll 21

Chapter 21-The bit I ACTUALLY made up! A.k.a , The Shikon No Tama  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome walked slowly along the precipice that separated Inuyasha and her from Sango, Miroku and Shippou.  
  
"I bet Miroku is doing unholy things to Sango now." Kagome said to herself, smiling a bit.  
  
"Naaaah," Inuyasha piped up behind her. "She's stronger than him for and start."  
  
"Plus, Sango would never take that crap from Miroku. No matter HOW much she likes him."  
  
Inuyasha raised his head. "Sango likes Miroku?"  
  
Kagome turned around and threw her hands up in mock exasperation.  
  
"My God Inuyasha! It's the most OBVIOUS thing in the world! How could you NOT have noticed?!"  
  
Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders.  
  
Smiling, Kagome resumed her walking. Inuyasha watched her back as she walked, then stuck his nose up.  
  
Even though Kagome was separated from her friends, she was happy. For one thing, she and Inuyasha hadn't argued at all in the whole two hours they had been together, and also, Kagome was glad to be alone with Inuyasha.  
  
Yes, she decided a while ago that she liked Inuyasha as 'more than a friend', and after the Sango incident and Inuyasha's 'here, use my lap as a pillow' soft side showing, she decided that she was indeed in love with the hanyou. Hence the whole story to the Thunder brothers about how much Inuyasha loved her, and her heart did a double flip when he had grabbed her hand and begged her to stay.  
  
So walking along the edge of a huge, thousand-foot drop wasn't so bad because she had Inuyasha walking behind her.  
  
This little blissful walking carried on until nightfall, where Inuyasha and Kagome came upon the town of Ohara, which is right next to Kyoto (I checked! I have a map of Japan!) . They found an abandoned hotel room, which, of course, was the abandoned Presidential suite.  
  
Inuyasha was sitting on the side of his king-size bed, staring at the floor. Kagome had come out of the shower, smiling, with a fresh, clean school uniform on. As Kagome went to her king-size bed, Inuyasha turned his head to look at her.  
  
"I'm sorry for not protecting you." He suddenly said, causing Kagome to fall on the floor in shock.  
  
"W....wha?" She stammered, getting up from off the floor.  
  
He turned his whole body around to face her. His eyes were strangely serious, and his face looked upset as well.  
  
"I'm sorry for not protecting you against the Thunder brothers. I'm sorry for not protecting you from The Peach Man. I'm sorry I almost killed you when we first met. I'm sorry for being a snob at school. I'm sorry for being rude and I'm sorry for not saving your family from the youkai."  
  
As he said all this, his face got sadder and sadder, Kagome stood there with her mouth open in pure shock, thinking: 'God, he looks cute when he's sad!'  
  
Inuyasha then crawled over the bed, onto the floor and walked over to Kagome. He was scarily taller than Kagome and he loomed over her, his amber eyes unusually soft and calm.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said a final time before his head seemed to lean into Kagome's.  
  
In complete shock and at a loss as to what to do, Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and waited for whatever was going to happen when their faces met.  
  
But, as luck would have it, a big crash sent Inuyasha and Kagome sprawling to the floor. Inuyasha cursed violently and jumped back onto his feet. Kagome, still in shock at Inuyasha's confessions and even more so at his attempt to kiss her, was lying on the floor, her eyes wide open.  
  
A woman's head peered through the shattered window of the room; she was completely white, with long black hair and two dots on her forehead.  
  
"You have it yessssssssss?" She hissed as her arms climbed through the window, followed by another pair of arms, and another pair. Then, a gigantic centipede body came through the window, breaking its frame. The centipede lady slithered her way over to Kagome. Inuyasha leapt at the youkai but she swatted him with the end of her centipede body, throwing him across the room.  
  
Kagome was frozen with fear as she watched the lady getting closer and closer. Suddenly, she broke out of her trance and stood up as fast as she could, getting ready to run.  
  
She wasn't fast enough.  
  
The centipede lady lunged at Kagome grabbing the side of Kagome's waist with her sharp fangs, slicing the flesh.  
  
Inuyasha shook off his dizziness, looking at what had just happened, he saw a small, orange ball fly out of Kagome. It glided through the air as light as a feather, landing inches away from Inuyasha. Centipede Lady extracted her fangs from Kagome and snapped her head in the direction of the tiny ball.  
  
"I knew it!" She cackled. "I knew you had the Ssssshikon no Tama!"  
  
Kagome, who had fallen back onto the floor, curled up in pain, lifted her head to where the jewel had landed, and then she looked at Inuyasha.  
  
He was leaning forward a little, his eyes a wide as headlights, his mouth half open. Kagome saw his amber eyes flick to the youkai, then to the jewel again.  
  
"You killed my brother." The youkai said harshly, not taking her eyes off the Shikon no Tama. "My brother, Master Scorpion."  
  
Kagome reflected back to when she had first met Inuyasha. They had indeed been attacked by a scorpion demon. The same bloodthirsty look was on Inuyasha's face and his eyes were once again hard and cruel.  
  
"Aaah, Mistress Centipede." He licked his lips. "Your brother died tragically. He was so easy to kill. Too easy for me."  
  
Mistress Centipede was clearly enraged by this comment and she lunged at Inuyasha, shrieking.  
  
Inuyasha was prepared for this. With one sweep, he ended the life of Mistress Centipede, exactly like the time with the Scorpion.  
  
As pieces of the youkai floated to the ground, Inuyasha stood up, flexing his hand. Kagome quietly stood up, afraid that something bad might happen now. Looking over at Inuyasha, she saw him looking at her, but it wasn't kind and gentle like five minutes ago, it was hard and cruel. Kagome looked at the Shikon no Tama. It was such a small thing; it easily could've been mistaken for a marble. Perfectly round it lie there, beckoning one of them to take it.  
  
Inuyasha lunged and Kagome lunged.  
  
"SIT!" Kagome shouted like her life depended on it, which it probably did. Inuyasha crashed to the floor, spluttering and cursing as much as he could.  
  
Kagome scooped the jewel into her hands as fast as she could. She backed away from him as far as she could go.  
  
Raising his head, Inuyasha looked coldly at Kagome. She was shaking violently, clutching the jewel and with tears in her eyes. Inuyasha suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over him. Quietly, he stood up to face the trembling girl. He bowed his head in shame.  
  
"Kagome," He whispered. "Keep that thing away from me. I'll try my best to control myself, but I can only go so far." He looked up at her through his silver bangs. All shaking had ceased and she was looking at him defiantly.  
  
"I know how to stop this." She said, and without a word, she rushed out of the room. After staring for a few moments at the space that had Kagome in it, he followed her down the three flights of stairs and into the basement, where the fire for the hot baths was still roaring.  
  
"Those things really don't go out." Inuyasha muttered.  
  
Putting the Shikon no Tama on the edge of the inferno, Kagome walked quickly up to Inuyasha. She stared at him for a while before lifting her hands up to finger the prayer beads hanging around his neck. Slowly, like it was almost an important ritually, Kagome lightly lifted the beads from the bewildered hanyou's neck. She lifted them past his sliver hair, past his soft dog-ears, until they came clean off his head.  
  
Handling it like it was a precious talisman, she walked over to the fire and, picking up the Shikon no Tama, she raised both her hands.  
  
"Now," She said, looking at Inuyasha harshly. "You have a choice, you either chose the Shikon no Tama, or you choose the prayer beads. If you chose the prayer beads, I'll throw the Shikon jewel into the furnace, if you chose the Shikon no Tama, I'll throw the prayer beads into the furnace and you can rip me to shreds if you want to."  
  
Inuyasha stared at one, then the other. He was at a loss. The Shikon no Tama, the jewel he had been after since...before he could remember, was well within his grasp.  
  
But.  
  
Kagome, who had showed infinite patience with him. Who he had tried so hard to protect. Who he had such strong feelings for...and not because she looked like Kikyo. In fact, he had forgotten there was any resemblance.  
  
+ "My name is Kagome!"+ + "Let me show you how it's done."+  
  
+ "You...you look..."+  
  
+Plus, he looks a LOT cuter as a hanyou!+  
  
Inuyasha stared at the task in front of him. Taking in a deep breath, he stepped forward.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Wooohooo! Cliff-hanger! It's sooo late! I'm looking at my computer clock and it says...11:45pm. Hmmmm.  
  
Thanks for all the reviews! They've really helped me to carry on with the story! You guys are sooo sweet -sniff-  
  
Well, we're coming close to the end of the story. I've been re-reading some of the chapters. Not only am I appalled at my spelling and that I've actually put 'lol' (I'm NOT that kind of typer!), I'm quite pleased at how this story has gone. It's longer than my others and it's a lot better too! My characters have developed nicely! If I enjoy reading my own fic, does that mean it's good? Let's hope so!  
  
As with all my other fics, I am not getting onto the fluffy part. I've had such a fluffy week! Reading the SWEETEST Peter Pan fic, as well as some Harry Potter fluff. I'm SERIOUSLY in the fluff mood. ^.^  
  
Well, until next time. Will Inuyasha choose the Shikon no Tama, or will he chose a life of Hanyou? Will Miroku ever get his big break? Will the author write more original pieces and not bits taken from the comics? And what happened to Kikyo and Naraku?!  
  
Find out next time!  
  
Sakura Clover 


	22. Scroll 22

Chapter 22-Inuyasha's choice.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome was worried. She was standing to the side of a huge burning furnace, in one hand was the Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls, in the other, Inuyasha's prayer beads, the ones that kept him from attacking her, his dog leash.  
  
Kagome was terrified.  
  
Inuyasha took one slow step forward. His theory was that he would close his eyes and grabbed whatever he found first. Crappy plan, but he didn't know what to do. Inuyasha didn't like not-knowing what to do, it made him vulnerable.  
  
Inuyasha took another step.  
  
That was when Kikyo slowly walked out in front of Kagome.  
  
At first, Inuyasha thought he was seeing things, then he realised that he wasn't seeing things.  
  
"K...Kikyo?" He stammered as she stared at him, her eyes completely empty.  
  
"Were you hoping I was dead? Inuyasha?" She asked coldly, he voice as empty as her eyes.  
  
Inuyasha shivered as she spoke his name. He could see Kagome frozen behind Kikyo, her eyes were wide and her mouth was open a little way in disbelief.  
  
"Ye...I mean, no! I just thought that...that..." Inuyasha was panicking; he thought he'd lost all feelings for Kikyo when she decided to take a long walk off a short cliff. Yet, here he was, trembling, as she looked him in the eye.  
  
She began to walk toward the hanyou, her feet making the only noise in the room. When she was in front of him, Kikyo carefully put her hand on Inuyasha's cheek. It was deathly cold and he flinched, ever so slightly, but not slight enough for Kikyo not to notice.  
  
"Don't you like me anymore Inuyasha?" She asked, trying to look sad.  
  
Inuyasha was at a complete loss. What was he going to do?! Kikyo's cold hand began to stroke his cheek lightly and he felt his eyes closing.  
  
"Inuyasha." She whispered quietly. Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something, but nothing would come out. With his eyes half closed he watched as Kikyo leaned into him.  
  
And the last thing he saw before his eyes fully closed was Kagome, looking like she was about to cry.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
" I reckon Inuyasha's doing unholy things to Kagome." Miroku said with a smirk.  
  
"Naaaah." Replied Sango, "She wouldn't take that kinda crap, no matter how much she likes him."  
  
Miroku turned around to face Sango. "Kagome likes Inuyasha?"  
  
"How could you NOT notice?!" Sango sighed, pushing her way in front of Miroku. He scratched his head and hurried to catch up with her.  
  
"So....Sango, who do you like?" He asked nonchantly. He watched Sango blushing out of the corner of his eye and he smiled to himself.  
  
"No one in particular...." Sango stammered. "What about you Miroku kun?"  
  
NOW was the time for Miroku! All those years of pining after the same girl, he KNEW that she liked him, finally, and that this was the time to confess his undying love!  
  
Taking a deep breath, he grabbed Sango's hands in a very manly way, then he looked deep into her eyes and said...  
  
"No one either, really."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome stared. Kikyo had strategically placed her lips in Inuyasha's, they stood there, for the longest time. Kagome watched in horror as Inuyasha's arms wound around Kikyo's body.  
  
She thought...  
  
She thought...  
  
How could she have been so STUPID?! Just because she has feelings for Inuyasha, doesn't mean he has feelings for her! She really WAS an idiot. After all, she was Kikyo's reincarnation, if Inuyasha ever did have any feelings for her, it would be because she was Kikyo's double.  
  
She was a substitute for Kikyo.  
  
Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She ran up the stairs, onto the hotel's first floor, she flew out the door and down the road. Inuyasha hadn't noticed. He was too busy playing tongue wrestling with Kikyo. But it didn't matter. Nobody would've noticed if she had gone anyway.  
  
"Okaaasan!" She shouted, tears streaming down her face. "Soooota! Graaaandpaaaa!" She had no idea why she was yelling, but if it helped her feel better, she would do it. She missed her family like crazy, though she took pains to hide it, and every time she laughed or smiled, she would feel guilty because she should've been mourning.  
  
Kagome ran down the street, shouting out, desperate to be heard.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Inuyasha was shocked. Just as he closed his eyes, he felt Kikyo's arms leaning on him, and before he knew it, they were kissing. Even though Kikyo's lips were as cold as ice, it didn't matter anymore. She was back, they were together. Nothing else mattered.  
  
He carefully wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeper. It was heaven, all those years of being on that tree. All the hurt and the pain and the suffering was all washed away by one sweet kiss.  
  
That was, until, Miroku popped into his head.  
  
Inuyasha suddenly recalled a conversation he and Miroku once had, while Kagome and Sango were asleep.  
  
"If you think about it Inuyasha," He had said. "I doubt that you and Kikyo were even in love."  
  
Inuyasha had scowled at the monk, before clashing some stones together to make a nice, warm fire. He sat next to Miroku, his arms balanced on his knees. They had sat there for a few minutes.  
  
"For instance, you were sad because you weren't a full demon, and Kikyo was sad because she couldn't be like other girls. You were basically licking each others wounds."  
  
"Will you SHUT UP?!" Inuyasha had hissed at Miroku.  
  
"And you know," He continued, unabashed. "When you saw Kikyo, your eyes were all glazed over and sad," He took a bite from an apple he had plucked out of the tree above them. "But I notice that when you look at Kagome, your whole damn face lights up and you look almost like a child."  
  
"So, what are you saying?" Inuyasha had asked, getting pulled in by the conversation.  
  
Miroku swallowed. "That maybe you didn't like Kikyo as much as you thought you did, and that maybe you like Kagome because she's Kagome, not Kikyo."  
  
Inuyasha's eyes sprung open and he forced Kikyo away from him. She looked at him with menacing eyes, before she smiled evilly.  
  
"Inuyasha, you don't like me do you?" She asked, though it was more of a statement than a question.  
  
Without saying a word, Inuyasha barged past the priestess and headed for the exit, but Kikyo grabbed his wrist and dug her nails in.  
  
"You're not leaving Inuyasha." She said calmly, sliding an arrow from her sleeve with her other arm.  
  
"Kikyo." Inuyasha growled. "I will kill you if I have to."  
  
Kikyo laughed and attempted to plunge the arrow into Inuyasha's arm, but he snatched it out of her vice-like grip and, using his other hand, tore at her face with his claws.  
  
"Inuyasha." Kikyo pleaded, covering her bloody face. "How...how could you?"  
  
Inuyasha was shocked at what he had done. He lowered his hands and made a move towards Kikyo.  
  
She lashed out at him, cutting the edges of his haori with her arrow. He jumped back and automatically stabbed his claws into her belly.  
  
Kikyo grabbed the wound and staggered a bit, her eyes looked towards the hanyou. He looked at her with pure hate before slashing her throat.  
  
She let out a gurgling gasp and Inuyasha winced, before she slumped onto the ground. Dead. Again.  
  
Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut. "Gomen." He whispered and turned to leave.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Kagome had been walking around for the good part of half an hour. Her legs were sore, her throat was dry and tears were still running down her cheeks every now and then.  
  
Looking up to the sky, she heard a noise. Quick as a flash, she looked behind her.  
  
There stood Inuyasha, smirking like a school boy.  
  
"Kagome." He scoffed. "You are SUCH a weakling!"  
  
Kagome didn't answer him; instead, she turned right back around and carried on walking. Unfazed, Inuyasha walked behind her, his hands behind his back.  
  
"What's eating YOU?" He asked, poking his face in front of hers.  
  
Kagome stopped dead. Inuyasha copied. She reached into her pocket and drew out the Shikon no Tama, then, she threw it at his head.  
  
He caught it as it rolled down his front. "What's going on?" He asked, confused.  
  
"You know what Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, her voice sounding tired. "Fuck it. Ok? Just fuck it."  
  
Inuyasha cocked his head to the side. "Nani?"  
  
"I'm TIRED of you! I'm tired of this journey, I'm tired of this country, I'm tired of this LIFE!" Kagome threw her hands up and let them drop down again. "Go back to your stupid Kikyo bitch, cos you know what? I-DON'T- GIVE-A-FLYING-FUCK-ABOUT-YOU!"  
  
"OOOOOOH," Inuyasha said, sounding like an old man who just caught onto a rude joke. "I get it!"  
  
"What? What do you get, oh great Inuyasha?!" She screamed at him. Kagome was pissed. In fact, she felt like she wanted to burst. She couldn't take all this crap with Inuyasha and her feelings.  
  
"You're jealous!" He smiled.  
  
Inuyasha could've sworn he saw steam come out of her ears.  
  
"YES, I'M JEALOUS!" She yelled, her voice getting louder. "YOU THINK I'D JUST STAND THERE AND WATCH AS YOU TWO DECIDED THAT YOU STILL LIKED EACH OTHER?! YOU'RE AN IDIOT INUYASHA!"  
  
Inuyasha listened to this with surprising patience as Kagome ranted.  
  
"YOU KNEW THAT I LIKED YOU! YET YOU SHOVED THE FACT THAT I'M JUST A KIKYO LOOK-A-LIKE IN MY FACE! WELL YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! I DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS SHITTY YOUKAI WAR, I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE SHIKON NO TAMA, AND I ESPECIALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT YO--"  
  
Kagome was cut off there due to the fact that Inuyasha was now kissing her quite passionately. Her eyes were wider than melons and she was as stiff as a board.  
  
And that's not just because she had never kissed anyone in her whole entire life.  
  
So, you have a hanyou kissing a frozen human, in the middle of a destroyed street.  
  
Thousands of thoughts were running through Kagome's head, like 'Is he doing this to shut me up?' or 'Does he really like me?" but the two main ones were; 'holy shit! Am I a good kisser?!' and 'when the hell do I breathe?!'  
  
Inuyasha, though, was having the time of his life. Not ONLY was Kagome a lot warmer than Kikyo was, but she was one hell of a kisser. He slowly started to open his mouth wider.  
  
And Kagome started to become stiffer.  
  
Something told Inuyasha that maybe Kagome was nervous, so he, very lovingly, put one hand on her cheek and one hand in her hair.  
  
After Kagome realised that she could breathe whenever the hell she felt like it, she began to relax. The feel of Inuyasha's hand on her face made her tingly all over and she couldn't help but wish it would go on forever.  
  
But, sadly, Kagome had forgotten to breathe again, so she pushed away, gasping for air. Inuyasha was looking at her with a silly smile on his face.  
  
"What the..." Was all Kagome could actually say. Inuyasha's grin became wider.  
  
"Me and Kikyo, we weren't meant to be." He said. "Plus, she tried to kill me then I was about to go after you."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Inuyasha started stroking Kagome's hair. "I don't like Kikyo, I don't want the Shikon no Tama. I want YOU, Kagome."  
  
Kagome looked at Inuyasha strangely before, FINALLY, relaxing into his arms and hugging him like there was no tomorrow.  
  
And there they stayed, in each other's arms, before Inuyasha handed the Shikon Jewel to Kagome and they made their way to the edge of Kyoto.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
OK, I'm thinking that that was actually a crap chapter. I've got writer's block AGAIN! But I HAD to write it seeing as how I'm still in a HUUUUGE fluff mood! I just saw Peter Pan so that only INCREASED my need for fluff.  
  
As for the kissing, I didn't entirely know what to write. I'm not good at writing slushy moments! -sweatdrop- And I'm paranoid that when I DO have a proper kiss, I'll end up fainting because of lack of air! -Bigger sweatdrop- Seriously! Cos once I was kissing this guy and I couldn't breath, so I had to keep on pushing him awa--aaan you don't wanna hear about that!  
  
I can always re-write this one if I end up hating it, but I was bored and fluffy. Any excuse.  
  
Anyway, time for my shower! I have babysitting with an evil, attention- seeking child!  
  
Happy New Year!  
  
Sakura Clover 


	23. Scroll 23

Chapter 23-Miko Himitsu  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Just one thing, Inuyasha." Kagome said, looking up at him.  
  
Inuyasha looked down at Kagome from the corner of his eye. "Yeah?"  
  
"Did you kiss me to shut me up or because you wanted to?"  
  
Inuyasha smirked. "A bit of both really." He said.  
  
Kagome quietly resisted the urge to punch Inuyasha's lights out.  
  
After Inuyasha's confrontation with Kikyo and his claws meeting her neck, he had become surprisingly relaxed, he smiled a lot more and for some strange reason, his hand kept on finding its way into Kagome's. It was almost like he was some lovesick high schooler. Not that Kagome was complaining.  
  
After all this time, the two of them were finally in Kyoto. It was definitely different to Tokyo. For a start, it looked more ancient, whereas Tokyo was absolutely modern looking. Everywhere looked like some sort of shrine.  
  
Inuyasha and Kagome walked by each shrine, looking for some sort of sign that this one was the one they had been looking for. After a while, Inuyasha stopped.  
  
"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked timidly.  
  
"I hear voices." He replied.  
  
And indeed, there were voices coming just from the left of them.  
  
"Will you STOP doing that!"  
  
"Doing what?"  
  
"Dragging me in the opposite way of where I want to go!"  
  
"Wha?"  
  
"I'm telling you! The shrine we're looking for is THIS way!"  
  
"No it's not! I know for a FACT it's this way!"  
  
"You're such a BABY!"  
  
" I know those voices!" Kagome said, her face lighting up. She began to run in the direction of the argument.  
  
"Sango! Miroku!" She yelled, launching herself into the arms of both Sango and Miroku. Since the two were unprepared for this attack, they all fell onto the floor with a loud THUMP! Shippou jumped on a few seconds after, just for fun.  
  
"Kagome!!" Sango said in surprise and Kagome laughed and hugged.  
  
Miroku managed to climb his way out of the pile and stood up next to Inuyasha.  
  
"Hey." Miroku said.  
  
"Alright." Inuyasha replied.  
  
After a few seconds of awkward silence, they two eventually hugged and laughed too.  
  
When everyone was composed and standing vertical again, they started looking for the shrine.  
  
"Just like Kaede san to not tell us what the name of the shrine is." Muttered Sango as she checked off the shrine she was looking at.  
  
"Yeah but this place is amazing!" Said Kagome, looking up at the blue sky.  
  
"It's certainly a change from cars and neon lights." Agreed Miroku.  
  
"And it's nice and empty!" Shippou added, clinging to Kagome's shoulder.  
  
Miroku slowed down a bit, to allow Inuyasha to catch up with him.  
  
"So, you seem a lot happier suddenly." Miroku whispered.  
  
Inuyasha blushed and turned his head away from Miroku.  
  
"N....no I'm not."  
  
"Aaaaaaaah, I see." Miroku said sagely. "You told Kagome you liked her, didn't you?"  
  
Inuyasha's blushed deepened. "Not in so many words." He muttered.  
  
Miroku's mouth suddenly spread into a large grin as he watched his hanyou friend blush and stutter.  
  
"Ya kissed her, didn't ya!" He said, poking his face into Inuyasha's.  
  
Gulping, Inuyasha slowly nodded his head. Miroku's grin got wider.  
  
"So tell me, 'Fonzie', what was it like?"  
  
Almost immediately, Inuyasha's shyness went away.  
  
"It was AMAZING! Her lips were so soft! I just wanted to go on and on...." He stopped when he noticed that Sango and Kagome were looking in his direction.  
  
He coughed nervously.  
  
"It was alright." He mumbled. "Nothing special."  
  
The girls hurried on ahead.  
  
"So he kissed you?!" Sango whispered when they were out of earshot.  
  
"Yeah." Kagome blushed, smiling sweetly.  
  
"Wow." Sango sighed, clasping her hands together. "Didn't his fangs get in the way?"  
  
"Sango!" Kagome yelled, turning bright red. She lowered her voice again. "Of course they didn't!"  
  
"I wish Miroku would kiss me." Sango said, looking a bit glum.  
  
"Well...why don't you kiss him instead?" Kagome asked.  
  
Sango smiled. "I suppose I could....I mean, I've given him TONS of openings."  
  
"Maybe he just doesn't like you that way." Kagome mused.  
  
Sango looked at Kagome, mortified. "I know for a FACT that he likes me that way!" She cried, her voice on the point of breaking.  
  
"Ok, ok!" Kagome said, taking a step back. "I guess it IS obvious. Oh, I think we're here!"  
  
They had stopped in front of a dark red shrine. The sign on the door said: 'Shrine of Dark Blossoms, Miko: Miko Himitsu.'  
  
" 'Dark Blossoms' eh?" Inuyasha said, coming up behind the girls. "Sounds a bit stupid."  
  
"Well, we're supposed to give the Shikon no Tama to the Miko here." Miroku said, looking around. "So, without further ado." He suddenly grabbed Kagome's shirt and attempted to rip it off her. Inuyasha lunged and the Monk, grabbing him by the neck.  
  
"Miroku! What the hell were you doing?!" Kagome screamed.  
  
"The Shikon jewel is inside of you right?" He asked innocently. "We need to get it out!"  
  
"It's already out you fool." Inuyasha growled in Miroku's ear.  
  
Miroku's face suddenly turned deep red. "Inuyasha...You sly dog!"  
  
Inuyasha at first thought that this was some kind of insult to his heritage, then his imagination caught up with him. With his face as red as Miroku's, he threw the monk onto the ground.  
  
"That's not it at all!" He yelled.  
  
Picking himself up, Miroku merely smirked. "Whatever you say, dog boy! You have your needs and I understand if you feel a little embarrassed about them."  
  
Inuyasha had his fist inches away from Miroku's mouth when a frustrated Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's shoulder.  
  
"Can we go in now?" She asked angrily.  
  
Composing himself, Inuyasha sighed and walked into the shrine.  
  
Miroku sorted out his robes and looked at Sango, she was glaring evilly.  
  
"What?" He whined. Shaking her head, Sango followed Inuyasha and Kagome into the shrine.  
  
Inside was pretty dark, the floorboards were made of dark wood and the walls were painted in a dark grey sort of colour. At the back of the shrine, in the centre, was a large, round, shallow bowl that was a blaze with a blue fire.  
  
Stepping cautiously, the gang walked up to the burning bowl.  
  
"Um...Konnichi wa." Kagome shouted nervously. A shuffling from behind a door to their left showed that there was life in the shrine. A while later, the door opened to reveal a beautiful woman, wearing traditional miko robes, with black flowing hair that had a streak of white in it. Her face was a smooth ivory colour and her eyes were a dark green. She took pigeon steps to the bowl and bowed low to each of them.  
  
"I know why you have come." She said calmly, her voice like a song.  
  
The gang watched her in awe as she introduced herself. "I am miko Himitsu, I own and run this shrine. I know who all of you are." She stepped up to Inuyasha, running her long fingers through his silver hair. "You are the hanyou Inuyasha." She whispered. Inuyasha gulped and nodded.  
  
Next, she went to Sango. "You must be the demon exterminator." She put a hand on Sango's shoulder. "I knew your village well, it is unfortunate what happened to it. I am deeply sorry." Sango smiled sadly and muttered a thank you.  
  
Turning her attention towards Miroku, she smiled. "And you are the Monk Miroku." Miroku nodded vigorously. "I am pleased to see that you have made it here."  
  
Last, but not least, she turned to Kagome. She looked the girl up and down before putting her hand on Kagome's cheek. It was cold and smooth and for some reason, it made Kagome nervous. Shaking it off, Kagome looked the miko in the eyes.  
  
"You are definitely her image, Kagome san." Himitsu whispered. "But I see that you are more of yourself than you are of her." Taking her hand away from Kagome's cheek, she stepped back to her position by the bowl.  
  
"We must get this done quickly." She said, turning to Kagome. "You have the jewel?"  
  
Fumbling about her skirt pocket, Kagome dropped the jewel into the miko's hand.  
  
For a split second, Inuyasha saw Himitsu's eyes light up. She turned to the fire and lowered it.  
  
The gang watched in anticipation.  
  
She lowered it even more.  
  
And more.  
  
And more.  
  
The blue flames were just licking the jewel when Himitsu's hand, quick as a flash, went to her mouth, where she popped the Shikon no Tama in and swallowed.  
  
A few seconds went by before the gang's brains caught up with their eyes.  
  
"Hey!" Kagome yelled, shocked.  
  
Himitsu began to laugh, then, her light voice was replaced with a deep menacing one. A black hair dropped from her head, then her parting split and her whole body seemed to be melting away to reveal and bent over man wearing some sort of monkey fur...  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Ahahahahahha! I'm stopping it there! My God, it's been aaaaaaaaagggggeeeees since I've updated! Gomen minna-san! I've been busy doing absolutely nothing. Hehehe. Ok, I just haven't really wanted to update. I guess I'm getting bored with this fic. Don't worry my little duckies, the next chapter will probably be the last! I guess you can tell I haven't been trying as my standard of writing has gone down!  
  
Plus, I've been absolutely ADDICTED to Kare Kano! It's GREAT! I recommend it to ANYONE! I especially love the relationship between Sakura Tsubaki and Tonami Takefumi. ^.^ Those two are the cutest! There is also the point of my OTHER addiction to watching DN Angel episodes, I accidentally found a site that shows a whole bunch of them, but now I've seen all the ones I can and they refuse to download! -Starts crying- I want my Daisuke kun!!!!!!!  
  
Well, seeing as this is nearly the end, I just wanna say....If anyone has any fics they want me to read, then let me know! All the fics I'm reading take ages to be updated! (Remind you of anyone?) So I'd be happy to read some! ^.^  
  
20 more reviews and I'll have one hundred! So keep those reviews coming!  
  
Ja Ne  
  
Sakura Clover 


	24. Scroll 24

Chapter 24-No More Words.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
The gang stared in shock as Naraku revealed himself before them, his mouth, the only visible human part of him, was turned up into an evil smile.  
  
Inuyasha was the first to move. He raced at Naraku, his claws outstretched, his face deadly serious. As Inuyasha leapt, Naraku merely brushed his hand, causing Inuyasha to go crashing into the wall. The rest of the gang watched in horror, their most powerful ally had just been smashed into a wall.  
  
Naraku began to take slow steps towards Kagome. Miroku, finally able to move, released his kazaana. Naraku began floating towards it, being drawn in, but instead of being sucked into oblivion, he grasped Miroku's hand and, with one smooth movement, broke Miroku's arm. The first sound since Naraku had revealed himself was of Miroku's screech of pain as his hand was bent back.  
  
It was now Sango's turn. Filled with blind hatred and rage, she threw her Hiraikotsu at the enemy, it missed him by inches, the same thing happened as the weapon flew back into Sango's hands. Kirara roared and, in a swish of flames, grew its tallest height. Charging at Naraku, the only damage Kirara was able to make was to rip some fur off the monkey cloak. The animal was then grabbed by one of its many tails and smashed into the wall opposite of the unconscious Inuyasha.  
  
Kagome was now left alone, with Shippou quivering on her shoulder, Naraku was getting ever closer, the same smile on his lips. Whimpering, Shippou launched himself at Naraku, landing on his face and began scratching with all his might. Using this chance, Kagome rushed over to the unconscious Inuyasha. She shook his shoulders violently but to no avail.  
  
"Inuyasha!" She wailed. "Wake up! Onegai!"  
  
But he was out cold. While Kagome was trying to rouse Inuyasha, Shippou's time was up. Naraku grabbed the kitsune and threw him out the shrine. Now Kagome was alone.  
  
Giving up on trying to wake Inuyasha, Kagome faced Naraku.  
  
"So," She began, trying not to show her fear while also trying to buy time. "You're Naraku eh?"  
  
Naraku's smile just got wider as he stepped closer to Kagome.  
  
"You're buying time, Kagome, it won't work." He muttered. His voice was low and husky.  
  
Kagome shifted her weight from one leg to the other uncomfortably.  
  
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." She said defiantly. "Why are you trying to kill us?"  
  
Now, Naraku laughed a deep, throaty laugh.  
  
"That, I will explain for you." Suddenly, he grasped Kagome's neck and pinned her against the wall.  
  
"I was once a...human like you." He spat the word out like it was something vile. "Then, one day I was attacked. As I lay, dying, on the road, a young miko found me and took care of me. She nursed me back to health. After a while I found that I was quite smitten by her. I confessed my feelings of love, only to find that she was in love with ANOTHER." He turned to Inuyasha. "So, basically, I sold my soul. I replaced my weak, mortal body." He tensed his free hand and examined it. "With a better, demon body."  
  
Kagome squirmed in Naraku's grasp, her air supply becoming short.  
  
"Once I had this new body and soul, I was complete! Using my newly acquired skills, I managed to trick the two 'love birds' into hating each other." His sinister smile came creeping back. "If I couldn't be happy, no-one could."  
  
Kagome's vision was becoming blurred and she could feel her head getting lighter.  
  
"And that's why," Naraku said, poising his claws in the air. "I've decided to kill you all!"  
  
"Shi-it."  
  
Naraku stopped, mid strike. Inuyasha was kneeling there; blood and cuts covered his face and arms.  
  
"Still alive dog-filth?" Naraku asked amusedly.  
  
Wincing, Inuyasha steadied himself on the Tetsusaiga. "That was pretty powerful for just one move."  
  
Naraku's grip hardened on Kagome's neck. "I'd just love to watch you suffer before you die, Inuyasha." He laughed as Kagome let out a small whimper.  
  
"So that you'll feel my pain!" He yelled before he leaned into Kagome.  
  
Kagome snapped out of her drowsiness as she felt Naraku's ice-cold lips on hers. She struggled as she began to lose consciousness again. She could hear Inuyasha yelling something and she could just about feel Naraku's teeth biting down on her bottom lip. Then everything went black.  
  
"Naraku! You bastard!" Inuyasha yelled. He knew that the demon was only doing this to aggravate him, but still, he couldn't help the surge of anger running through his veins. He watched as a drop of blood fell from the small gap between Kagome's mouth and Naraku's. Cursing silently, all he could do was watch.  
  
Eventually, Naraku pulled away, Kagome's blood all over bottom lip and teeth. He slowly licked the blood away as he looked Inuyasha in the eye.  
  
"That anger you feel Inuyasha." He began. "Isn't even the beginning of the anger I felt when Kikyo chose you over me."  
  
Inuyasha's became scarily dark. "Just you and me, Naraku. Just you and me."  
  
The calmness returned to Naraku. His creepy smile returned. Dropping Kagome to the floor, he stepped to Inuyasha. "You think you can handle me?"  
  
Putting both hands on the Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha began to slowly get up. He grunted as his muscles argued with him about ever moving again. He knew he was no match for Naraku now that he had the Shikon no Tama, but still, he was going to try.  
  
He finally stood up vertically after a long struggle that would've made anyone but Naraku weep. Looking dead into the eyes of his enemy, the half- demon, half-human boy drew out his Steel-cleaving fang and tensed his muscles. "The question is," He heaved. "Can YOU handle ME?"  
  
The fight began with Naraku launching at Inuyasha, who dodged and swung the Tetsusaiga, which was deflected by Naraku's power, sending Inuyasha crashing back, who regained his balance and charged again.  
  
Though Kagome was the last to fall unconscious, she was the first to wake up. Looking to her left, she saw the battle raging between Inuyasha and Naraku. Being as quiet as a mouse, she crawled over to where Miroku was lying, half conscious. Quickly, she grabbed Miroku's twisted hand and popped in back into place. Before Miroku could scream in pain, she covered his mouth, motioning with her head to the fight. Kagome went to get Shippou while Miroku went to wake up Sango. When Kagome returned with Shippou, the fight was still going. None of them seemed to be winning, it was just attack-deflect-attack-parry. Sango, who got her Hiraikotsu ready, looked at Shippou, who whimpered and looked at Miroku, who grabbed his prayer beads and looked at Kagome, who grabbed her bow and arrow and nodded.  
  
And they all went charging in.  
  
Kagome was the first to strike; using an arrow she had found near the burning bowl, she hit Naraku on the leg. Naraku screeched as he clutched the wound. Sango, who was riding Kirara, threw her Hiraikotsu as hard as she could, taking off Naraku's other leg, which Miroku sucked into his kazaana. Naraku stumbled a bit, but kept his balance. Shippou used his foxfire and in a flash, the gang had disappeared. Looking around desperately, Naraku bumped into something. Turning around, he was Miroku, Sango and Shippou looking down on him. Miroku then pointed politely in front of Naraku. Turning around again, there was Kagome and Inuyasha, both holding the Tetsusaiga. Before Naraku had time to react, they charged.  
  
"You."  
  
"Are."  
  
"So."  
  
"DEAD!"  
  
The blade hit home and Naraku's eyes widened as blood spilled out of his mouth. Where the Tetsusaiga had hit, the Shikon no Tama came flying out, landing at Kagome's feet, where she picked it up.  
  
Naraku gurgled and then slumped onto the floor. Dead.  
  
After a few seconds of silence, Inuyasha fell onto his knees, completely exhausted. Kagome grabbed his shoulders, trying to support him.  
  
Miroku and Sango started laughing and whooping as the realization hit them all. Shippou was hugging Kirara lovingly and Inuyasha put his hand on Kagome's.  
  
And, of course, as Sango and Miroku danced around in a mad circle, Miroku plucked up the courage to quickly give Sango a kiss on the cheek, in which she replied by jumping on him and covering him with kisses.  
  
A loud thump from the other room stopped everything. Crawling along the floor, Inuyasha pushed the door ajar. There, lying on the floor was the REAL miko Himitsu, her hands tied to her feet.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
"I would like to thank you all for making the journey here." Miko Himitsu said, her voice as light as a lullaby. She took the Shikon no Tama from the wary Kagome and placed it inside the blue fire. A loud bang came from the bowl and the fire blew up, lighting the whole room, it then settled and turned into a normal, orange-red, fire.  
  
"The Shikon Jewel has been destroyed." Himitsu said, smiling happily.  
  
"Yaaaaaay!" Miroku yelled, flexing his now kazaana-free hand about the place. "No more youkai!"  
  
Miko Himitsu gave him a confused look. "What do you mean Miroku san?" She asked.  
  
Miroku looked at her. "The war's over now right? The jewel has been destroyed, so the war's over."  
  
Himitsu shook her head. "Of course it's not over! The jewel was destroyed, so now we won't have to worry about it getting into the wrong hands!"  
  
They all stared at her, gob smacked. She sighed and rubbed her temples.  
  
"You mean, you thought that if you destroyed the Shikon no Tama, all the youkai would be destroyed too?"  
  
They all looked around nervously at each other until Kagome coughed.  
  
"Well...yeah."  
  
Miko Himitsu slapped her forehead. "That would mean that Shippou would disappear wouldn't it? The Shikon no Tama was destroyed because it's a terrible thing in the wrong hands. So it wouldn't be used for evil!"  
  
The gang nodded. Then looked at Shippou, who was clinging to Kagome's leg at the thought of disappearing.  
  
"Well, it doesn't matter now." Miko Himitsu said, hugging them all. "It's gone now. Thank you." Taking Kagome's chin into her hands, much like Naraku did, Himitsu raised her eyebrow.  
  
"You may have Miko Kikyo's image." She said, smiling. "But that's all it is. Her image." Then, bowing slowly to them, she stepped back into the little room.  
  
As they gang stood there, not really knowing what to do, Kaede walked into the shrine.  
  
"Ah, there you all are." She said, smiling. "Follow me." Then she was out again.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
They had followed Kaede into a small shrine near the edge of Kyoto; there they sat drinking tea and recalling moments of their travels. After a while, Kaede put her tea down and looked at Kagome.  
  
"Go into the next room Kagome chan." She said.  
  
Nervously, Kagome got up from her place at the table and opened the screen into the other room. It was empty.  
  
"I mean the room next to that one." Kaede said.  
  
Kagome walked across the floorboards and pulled the screen back.  
  
She nearly fainted.  
  
There was her mother, her grandpa and Sota, all sitting there, drinking tea and talking. They stopped when they heard the screen opening. Kagome's mother was the first to move. She got up and ran to her daughter and they both fell on the floor, hugging, crying and laughing. Sota and grandpa followed with tears in their eyes.  
  
"Kagome." Her mother whispered, stroking Kagome's hair. "My dear Kagome."  
  
Kagome just cried. She cried until her mother's shirt was soaked with her tears.  
  
After a while, Kaede and the others came into the room.  
  
"The priest I met in Osaka is a friend of your grandfather's." She explained. "He had moved them to his shrine before the house was wrecked."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Later that night, Kagome woke to find Inuyasha leaning against her bedroom door. Sitting up in bed, she rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Inuyasha?" She grumbled.  
  
Starting, Inuyasha lifted up his head. "Kagome chan, I....I thought you were asleep."  
  
"I was." She replied, motioning for him to sit on the bed. "Something up?"  
  
Sitting down, Inuyasha turned his face away from Kagome's. He put his hands inside his sleeves and grunted.  
  
Kagome's mouth slowly dropped open. "You were going to leave weren't you?"  
  
Inuyasha turned to her, his eyebrows raised. "How did you know that?"  
  
"I don't know..." She suddenly grabbed Inuyasha's haori. "Don't go!"  
  
Inuyasha blushed deeply, but felt the need to retain some manliness. "I have to Kagome," He said, gently taking her hands off his clothes. "There's still a war going on, and I gotta go."  
  
"That's a crappy reason." She whimpered.  
  
Inuyasha stood up. "It's still a reason." He left the room.  
  
Kagome's family was still up when they heard Inuyasha going down the stairs, closely followed by Kagome, who was struggling to put some socks on. (She had fallen asleep in her clothes.) They got up as Inuyasha opened the door.  
  
"Something wrong Kagome chan?" Her mother asked.  
  
Kagome faced her family with tears running down her eyes. "He's going!" She sobbed. Inuyasha just stood in the doorframe, his face unreadable. After a few minutes of silence, Inuyasha mumbled a good-bye and walked out of the shrine.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, being held back by her Grandpa. "Matte!!!!"  
  
But Inuyasha kept on walking. Tears were beginning to well up in his eyes but he refused to let them fall.  
  
Kagome turned to her mother. "Okaasan!" She pleaded, "Okaasan, let me go with him."  
  
Her mother looked nervously at her daughter, then at the retreating figure of Inuyasha.  
  
"He told me I had too much to stay for!" Kagome yelled. "But I have nothing except my family! And I know you're safe! Let me go PLEASE!"  
  
The grip on Kagome loosened, she looked at her grandfather. "You'll always have us Kagome chan." He said.  
  
Kagome's mother smiled and nodded. "Go with him." She whispered. Sota grabbed onto Kagome's leg. "Promise you'll come back?"  
  
Kagome smiled. "Promise."  
  
So she ran.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
Inuyasha was silently arguing with himself, He wanted Kagome so badly, but she had family. That was what she needed. Family.  
  
Footsteps broke Inuyasha out of his trail of thought. Looking behind him, he saw Kagome running up to him.  
  
"Inuyasha!"  
  
She jumped and landed straight in his arms.  
  
"K...Kagome?" He stuttered.  
  
"YOU'RE what I need Inuyasha." She said into his chest. "My family is safe, that's all I need to know." She looked at him.  
  
"B....But..." He was cut off by Kagome's finger on his lips.  
  
"I won't tell you more now." She whispered. "Because the words are so weak against time."  
  
Smiling, Inuyasha placed his lips lightly on hers. When they parted, he took her hand and, with happy faces and renewed spirits, they walked off into the sunrise.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^OWARI*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
There! Did you like it? The ending was a bit rushed and random because I had it all in my head, I just couldn't put it down in words!  
  
I might take a little break from writing now, especially seeing as I can't think of a plot! Who knows.  
  
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. ^.^  
  
Thanks for all your reviews! They really helped to inspire me!  
  
Je Ne!  
  
Sakura Clover 


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